Snack giant switches to black and white packaging as Iran war hits ink supplies

Snack giant switches to black and white packaging as Iran war hits ink suppliesJust nowShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleOsmond ChiaBusiness reporterCalbeeCalbee is Japan's biggest snack makerJapanese snack giant Calbee says it will temporarily switch to black and white packaging for some its best-known products as supplies of an ingredient used in ink have been disrupted by the Iran war.The firm says new-style packets for 14 of its products, including crisps and prawn crackers, will start to appear in shops in Japan from 25 May.It marks the latest example of how everyday goods are being impacted after Iran effectively closed the key Strait of Hormuz waterway in retaliation for US and Israeli strikes on the country.In recent weeks, companies around the world have warned that supply disruptions to things like fuel, plastics and helium are pushing up costs for their businesses.Calbee said in a statement that the design change is a response to "supply instability affecting raw materials amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East." "This measure is intended to help maintain a stable supply of products," said Calbee.Oil and gas prices have surged since the conflict started on 28 February as shipments through the Strait of Hormuz halted.Supplies of naphtha, a byproduct of oil refining used in ink and plastics, have also been hit hard.Naphtha prices in Asia have almost doubled since the conflict started, pushing up costs for businesses in the region.Before the war, around 40% of Japan's naphtha was imported from the Middle East, Japan's deputy chief cabinet secretary Kei Sato told reporters on Tuesday.The government was working to "stabilise and resolve any supply imbalances and bottlenecks", he added.In April, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the country was broadening its supply of naphtha to include more sources outside the Middle East, such as the US.Asian countries have been hit particularly hard by disruptions to...