Calbee to switch its brightly coloured packaging to black and white because war has disrupted supply of certain raw materials used in ink
Japan’s biggest snack maker has been forced to use black-and-white packaging for some flagship products because of ink ingredient shortages caused by the strait of Hormuz blockade.
Calbee, whose potato chip brands in particular are known for brightly coloured bag designs, said 14 of its products would switch to monochrome branding by the end of May.
The move to black and white was forced on Calbee by disrupted supplies of naptha, an ink ingredient derived from petroleum. Calbee said it was reacting to an unstable supply of “certain raw materials” due to the war.
Japanese companies have lately sought to minimise the impact of rising costs and material shortages even as the government seeks to reassure the public and businesses over supplies. Printing ink requires naphtha, an oil derivative for which Japan relies on imports from the Middle East for about 40% of its consumption.
