The Japanese snack company Calbee is switching to black-and-white packaging due to the supply crisis of raw materials needed for printing ink.

The Japanese company Calbee announced on Tuesday that it will revise the packaging specifications for certain products due to the instability of naphtha supply, an essential petroleum derivative in the production of packaging and inks, caused by escalating tensions in the Middle East. The chips, which were usually packaged in vibrant colors, will be available in monochrome black-and-white packaging starting at the end of May.

This change is part of a broader trend, as other companies, such as Itoham Yonekyu Holdings, are also considering switching to similar packaging due to the effects of the conflict on supply chains. The crisis has been exacerbated by the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic route for transporting hydrocarbons, which has led to rising prices and supply issues. Japan's Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, stated that authorities are working to offset the deficit by increasing imports of naphtha-derived chemicals from other regions.