Some Japanese snack packages are turning black-and-white as Iran war depletes ink supply

TOKYO (AP) — 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, said what’s inside remains the same. Calbee’s popular snacks are available in Japan’s ubiquitous convenience stores and shipped to the United States, China and Australia.

“This measure is intended to help maintain a stable supply of products,” it said in a statement this week.

The change on 14 products in its lineup will start May 25, limiting ink colors to just two, the company said, noting it was necessary to respond flexibly to changing geopolitical conditions.

How long the change might last remains unclear, according to Calbee, founded in 1949. The Calbee group employs more than 5,000 people.

The move is the latest as companies grapple with spiking prices and shortages of oil and other products caused by the war in the Middle East and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Japan, which relies almost entirely on imports for its oil, has so far ridden out the worries relatively calmly, as the government has worked to allay such fears by noting the nation’s oil reserves.

But it’s still facing a squeeze on naphtha, an oil-derived product that’s used in items like plastics and ink.

There’s no mistaking the stark change in the chip’s packaging.

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Calbee’s lightly salted chips, known as “usu shio,” originally came in a bright-orange bag with an image of yellow chips and a potato-man mascot wearing a hat.

The new packaging just has monochrome lettering.

The company, which also makes shrimp chips, or “kappa ebisen,” had just announced an ambitious growth strategy in March.

“Calbee will continue to respond flexibly and promptly to changes in its operating environment, including geopolitical risks, and remains committed to maintaining a stable supply of safe, high‑quality products,” it said. “We ask for your understanding.”

Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: