Shelves in Japanese supermarkets are losing their color due to the U.S.-Israel war on Iran, forcing major snack maker Calbee to temporarily switch packaging for 14 products, including Calbee potato chips, to black and white.
Tokyo-based Calbee explained the decision as a response to “unstable supply of some raw materials amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East.” The company said new products will launch starting May 25.
The Iran conflict caused a global supply shock as the Strait of Hormuz—which carries one-fifth of the world’s peacetime oil supply—has been blocked since late February. Japan imports 40% of its naphtha, a petroleum derivative used to produce ink, from the Middle East.
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kei Sato said the government is working to fill the supply gap, and imports from non-Middle East countries this month are three times higher than before the war. “We have not received any reports of immediate interruptions in ink or naphtha supply, and recognize that Japan has secured the necessary amounts,” Sato said.
However, major ink and chemical manufacturers have raised prices due to supply volatility from the Middle East. Sun Chemical (U.S.) and Hubergroup (Germany) both announced price increases, with Hubergroup stating that “the scale and persistence of current cost pressures make price adjustments unavoidable.”
Naphtha is also used to produce plastics, synthetic rubber, high-octane gasoline, and industrial solvents. Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz after U.S.-Israel attacks began, and the strait remains blocked despite a fragile ceasefire in place since April 8. Since April 13, the U.S. has imposed a broad naval blockade on Iranian ports and vessels, pressuring Tehran to reopen the strait.
Another factor is nitrocellulose, a key component in ink and coatings, which is also used as military propellant and explosives. Demand for nitrocellulose has surged in Europe due to NATO spending increases and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, further tightening civilian supply.
