Japan's leading potato chip producer Calbee is shifting to monochrome snack bags amid naphtha shortages.
Naphtha costs, essential for printing inks, have skyrocketed from supply strains caused by the Iran war.
The crisis impacts firms nationwide, from toilet maker Toto to other manufacturers.

Global petrochemical disruptions began with fuel price jumps, but now they threaten something as simple as colorful potato chip bags.

Snack powerhouse Calbee in Japan - famed for its potato chips - is converting select colored packaging to black-and-white designs. This follows oil shortages connected to the Iran war that have choked ink availability worldwide.

"This step is designed to sustain steady product availability," Calbee announced in a Tuesday press release. The firm blamed the short-term shift on "instability in supplies of specific raw materials."

Naphtha, a petroleum-based compound, forms the basis for solvents and resins in printing inks. It also plays a vital role in plastics, packaging, and adhesives. Its price has climbed sharply during the Iran conflict.

Starting May 25, Calbee will use monochrome packaging for 14 product varieties.

An image of Calbee's updated packaging featured a side note clarifying that the single-color approach aims to preserve oil-derived materials.

"The adjustment covers just a few items and leaves product quality unchanged," the company assured in its statement.

This development highlights Japan's sensitivity to naphtha supply interruptions.

The nation depends largely on imported naphtha, heightening its risk from global disruptions.

Lately, firms like toilet producer Toto and Panasonic have flagged delays in deliveries and cost increases linked to naphtha-dependent components.

Within the food sector, Calbee faces company alongside others grappling with naphtha woes.

Earlier this month, Itoham Yonekyu - producer of processed meats and ready meals - revealed plans to limit packaging colors to lower expenses.

Government figures seek to ease concerns over widespread deficits.

Tuesday, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kei Sato stated Japan encounters no urgent naphtha supply issues. He noted that although 40% arrives from the Middle East, a matching portion comes from domestic sources.