Japanese Snack Makers Switch to Black-and-White Packaging Amid Ink Shortage

Japanese snack manufacturer Calbee is switching the packaging of some products to black-and-white designs due to a shortage of colored printing ink ^[1].

This shift highlights how geopolitical instability in the Middle East is directly impacting consumer goods and supply chains within Japan. The scarcity of naphtha, a key feedstock used to produce colored ink, has made procurement unstable, forcing companies to strip color from their branding to maintain production [1, 2, 3, 4].

Black-and-white packaging began appearing on store shelves the week of May 25 ^[2]. The change was first observed at a convenience store in Sapporo before rolling out nationwide [1, 2]. Calbee said the move on May 12 following a notification to retailers on May 8 [2, 3, 4]. While some reports describe the change as affecting main products, other data indicates a total of 14 products will receive the black-and-white redesign ^[3].

Fujiya, another prominent candy maker, is also adjusting its packaging in response to the ink crisis ^[1]. These supply chain disruptions coincide with a broader wave of inflation affecting the Japanese food market [1, 3, 4].

Data from the Imperial Data Bank shows a sharp increase in the number of food-related items slated for price hikes ^[1]. For June, 1,078 items are expected to increase in price ^[1]. This is a significant jump from May, which saw only 84 items with price increases ^[1].

Among the June hikes, 450 items are seasonings, and 304 are processed foods ^[1]. Market analysts said these price increases will continue throughout the summer ^[1].