Calbee has temporarily switched to monochrome packaging for 14 of its products in Japan due to the war in Iran [1].
This shift highlights how geopolitical instability in the Middle East can disrupt global supply chains and force consumer-facing companies to alter their branding. For a market as visually driven as Japan, a move to black-and-white packaging is a rare and significant operational adjustment.
The Tokyo-based snack manufacturer is now using only two ink colors [1] for the packaging of these items. The affected product line includes the company's popular Potato Chips, Kappa Ebisen snacks, and Frugra cereal [2].
Calbee said the temporary change is a response to the war in Iran, which is affecting the region [1]. The company did not specify the exact nature of the disruption, but the reduction in ink colors suggests a need to streamline production or source alternative materials during the conflict.
Retail stores across Japan have begun stocking the modified bags. The company has not provided a timeline for when the original multi-colored packaging will return to shelves.
This move follows a pattern of Japanese firms adjusting logistics and procurement as conflicts in the Middle East impact shipping lanes and raw material costs. By limiting the number of inks used, Calbee can maintain production levels despite the external pressures caused by the war [1].
“Calbee has temporarily switched to monochrome packaging for 14 of its products”
The transition to monochrome packaging serves as a visible indicator of 'shrinkflation' or 'cost-cutting' strategies adapted for geopolitical crises. While Calbee frames this as a temporary response to the war in Iran, it demonstrates the vulnerability of just-in-time manufacturing and the fragility of global supply chains for specific chemical inputs, such as specialized printing inks, when regional conflicts escalate.
