Calbee’s Iran-Related Ink Shortage Pushes Switch to Monotone Packaging: What This Means for Packaging and Supply Chain Businesses
TOKYO – Japan’s leading snack manufacturer, Calbee, has adopted an innovative approach to conserve oil-based raw materials by temporarily switching its packaging from vibrant colors to black and white.
On Tuesday, the Tokyo-based company announced that starting May 25, 14 of its popular products—including Potato Chips, Kappa Ebisen snacks, and Frugra breakfast cereal—will be packaged using only two ink colors. This measure aims to ensure stable product shipments amid supply disruptions caused by the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict involving Iran.
As the largest player in Japan’s domestic snack market, Calbee’s move highlights efforts by Japanese businesses to mitigate rising costs and shortages of materials. Printing inks require naphtha, an oil derivative, approximately 40% of which Japan imports from the Middle East. Recent geopolitical tensions have impacted this supply chain.
Calbee’s Potato Chips, known for their distinct multi-colored packaging featuring bright orange and yellow backgrounds, will now adopt simpler designs to address these challenges.
The announcement has attracted significant media attention across Japan, following earlier concerns in March when another crisps brand temporarily halted production due to difficulties in securing heavy oil for its factory operations.
Responding to Calbee’s decision, a government spokesperson confirmed that domestic naphtha refining continues using stockpiled crude oil, and imports from regions outside the Middle East have tripled in May compared to pre-conflict levels. Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kei Sato stated, “We have not received any reports of immediate supply disruption for printing ink or naphtha and recognize that Japan as a whole has secured the quantities required.”
The broader context involves the disruption of around 20% of the world’s oil supply following the near closure of the Strait of Hormuz since the conflict began, which has triggered a global energy crisis.
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Japan’s Calbee switching to black-and-white packaging highlights a creative cost-saving response to oil-derived material shortages, underscoring how geopolitical tensions can disrupt supply chains globally. For businesses in Oman, this signals an urgent need to diversify supply sources and innovate in material usage to withstand volatility in oil-dependent inputs. Smart investors should now consider opportunities in alternative materials and sustainable packaging solutions, as demand for such innovations will likely rise amid ongoing global energy uncertainties.
