Japanese snacks go black-and-white: Why Iran war is driving up ink prices

The US-Israeli war on Iran is causing an ink shortage, prompting Calbee, one of Japan's leading snack manufacturers, to switch to black-and-white packaging for 14 of its products, including potato chips. This decision, effective May 25, aims to maintain a stable supply amid raw material instability. Japan, which imports 40% of its naphtha from the Middle East, is feeling the effects of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world's oil is shipped.