The US-Israeli regime's war on Iran is causing a ripple effect across global supply chains, now hitting Japanese supermarkets. Calbee, a Tokyo-based snack giant, announced it will temporarily switch to black-and-white packaging for 14 products, including its popular potato chips, due to a shortage of printing ink.

The company attributed the move to 'supply instability affecting certain raw materials amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East.' The new packaging is set to roll out on May 25.

While Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kei Sato claimed no immediate disruption in ink or naphtha supplies, major ink producers like US-based Sun Chemical and Germany's Hubergroup have raised prices, citing soaring raw material and logistics costs.

The war has effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world's oil flows, squeezing supplies of naphtha—a key oil derivative for ink production. Japan imports 40% of its naphtha from the Middle East.

Additionally, increased military demand for nitrocellulose, used in both inks and explosives, has tightened availability for commercial use, further pressuring packaging industries.

Source: www.aljazeera.com