Calbee, Japan's leading snack manufacturer, announced black-and-white packaging for 14 popular products due to naphtha shortages affecting ink and solvents. The Iran conflict has disrupted petroleum-derived raw materials, forcing changes to packaging that has featured colorful mascots since 1976.

The shortage impacts 46,741 Japanese manufacturers (30% of total), with the chemicals sector most vulnerable. 52 companies use naphtha for basic chemicals like ethylene and PVC, affecting industries from plastics to pharmaceuticals. Even unrelated sectors face packaging procurement issues.

Mizkan suspended nattō product sales, while Nisshin Seifun Welna removed cooking instructions from spaghetti packaging. Medical supplies like syringes and gloves are also experiencing shortages, demonstrating how geopolitical tensions create ripple effects throughout Japanese manufacturing.