Some Japanese snack packaging to turn black-and-white as Iran war causes ink supply issues
The packaging on some snacks in Japan is turning a somber black-and-white, as the war in Iran disrupts the supply of an ingredient used in colored ink.
Tokyo-based Calbee Inc., which makes potato chips and cereal, says that what is inside remains the same. Calbee’s popular snacks are available in Japan’s omnipresent convenience stores and shipped to the US, China, and Australia.
“This measure is intended to help maintain a stable supply of products,” it says in a statement.
The change on 14 products in its lineup will start May 25, limiting ink colors to just two, the company says, noting it is necessary to respond flexibly to changing geopolitical conditions.
How long the change might last remains unclear, according to Calbee, founded in 1949, and employing more than 5,000 group workers.
The move is the latest caused by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz because of the Iran war, which has sent prices of oil and other products higher, as well as causing supply crunches.