Japanese food maker Calbee has said it has temporarily switched to black and white packaging for some of its most popular products after the war in Iran disrupted supplies of ink ingredients, the BBC reports.
The company said 14 of its products with the new packaging will be in Japanese stores from the 25th of May. Calbee’s decision highlights how the closure of the Strait of Hormuz following attacks by the US and Israel is affecting everyday products. In recent weeks, companies around the world have warned that supply disruptions to fuel, plastics and helium are impacting production costs.
Calbee said in a statement that the design changes were a response to volatile raw material supplies due to tensions in the Middle East, and that the decision was made to maintain product availability.
Since the war began on the 28th of February, oil and natural gas prices have risen sharply as shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has been halted. This has also affected supplies of naphtha, a byproduct of oil refining and used in the production of ink and plastics. Naphtha prices in Asia have almost doubled since the conflict began, increasing the production costs of companies in the region.
Before the war, about 40% of the naphtha used in Japan was imported from the Middle East.
The government has said it is working to stabilize supplies and eliminate problems. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in April that the country was looking for other sources of oil by-products.
The disruption to shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has hit Asian countries, which are heavily dependent on Middle Eastern energy resources, particularly hard.
On the 1st of May, Japanese food manufacturer Mizkan stopped selling some of its products and raised prices on others due to a shortage of polystyrene containers. Meanwhile, carmakers Toyota and Hyundai have reported a hit to profits from higher material costs and lower sales.
Airlines around the world have cancelled or reduced flights due to rising jet fuel prices. British clothing retailer Next last week raised prices by 8% in several countries outside Europe due to rising fuel prices and supply disruptions.