Calbee Changes Some Snack Packaging to Black-and-White

Japanese snack giant Calbee will temporarily switch to black and white packaging for 14 of its products, including crisps and prawn crackers, with the new-style packets starting to appear in shops in Japan from 25 May. The firm, Japan’s biggest snack maker, said the design change is a response to supply instability affecting raw materials amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East.

"This measure is intended to help maintain a stable supply of products," Calbee stated.

The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has severely disrupted global supplies of energy and petrochemicals. U.S. and Israeli strikes on the country.

Supplies of naphtha, a byproduct of oil refining used in ink and plastics, have been hit hard, with naphtha prices in Asia almost doubling since the conflict started. Before the war, around 40 percent of Japan’s naphtha was imported from the Middle East.

Japan’s deputy chief cabinet secretary Kei Sato told reporters on Tuesday that the government was working to stabilise and resolve any supply imbalances and bottlenecks.

U.S. Asian countries have been hit particularly hard by disruptions to shipping through the Gulf as they are heavily reliant on the Middle East for energy and other oil-related products. On 1 May, Japanese foodmaker Mizkan suspended sales of some of its products and raised prices for others due to a shortage of polystyrene containers.

Car makers like Toyota and Hyundai have said their profits have been hit due to higher costs of materials and lower sales. Many airlines have paused flights and grounded some planes after jet fuel prices surged due to the war. Last week, UK-based fashion chain Next raised its prices by up to 8 percent in some countries outside Europe due to higher fuel prices and disruption to global supply chains.

The oil market will take until next year to normalize if the Strait of Hormuz continues to be disrupted, according to the Saudi Aramco CEO. U.S.

And Iran struggled to gain momentum. Oil prices climbed after President Trump rejected Iran’s latest proposal. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remained disrupted. Australia’s Treasury warned in its annual budget that a worsening Iran conflict could drive oil prices to $200 a barrel.

The Treasury warned that prolonged fighting or damage to Middle East energy routes could push inflation above 7 percent and cause Australia’s economy to shrink. Treasurer Jim Chalmers said Australia’s economic outlook now depends heavily on how the Middle East conflict develops.