Japanese snacks go black-and-white: Why Iran war is driving up ink prices
Summary
A war involving the US and Israel against Iran has caused problems in the supply of oil-based raw materials needed by Japanese companies. This has led Calbee, a popular Japanese snack maker, to temporarily use black-and-white packaging on some of its products because color inks have become hard to get and more expensive.Key Facts
- The US-Israeli conflict with Iran has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for oil transport.
- Japan gets 40% of its naphtha, a type of oil product needed to make printing inks, from the Middle East.
- Calbee will change the packaging of 14 products, including its potato chips, to black and white starting May 25 to manage ink shortages.
- Japanese government officials say they are working to find alternative suppliers and have increased imports from outside the Middle East.
- Ink producers in the US and Germany have raised prices due to higher costs for raw materials and energy linked to the conflict.
- Naphtha is used in many products including inks, plastics, synthetic rubber, petrol, and industrial solvents.
- The conflict has caused a global supply shock affecting costs and availability of oil-based materials.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.