Japanese snack food brand Calbee has announced that it is changing the design of its packaging for some products because of "supply instability affecting certain raw materials" as a result of the ongoing Iran war.
In an announcement, the company stated that the change will affect 14 products, whose packaging will temporarily only have two ink colours.
The black and white designs will be seen on products including Calbee's Potato Chips, crispy shrimp-flavoured Kappa Ebisen snacks and Frugra granola.
Calbee stated that the changes were made "in response to supply instability affecting certain raw materials amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East."
"This measure is intended to help maintain a stable supply of products," it added.
According to British newspaper The Guardian, the decision to change the design of the packaging was due to a disruption in the supply of naptha, a petroleum-derived ink ingredient, for which Japan relies on Middle Eastern imports for about 40 per cent of its consumption.
Calbee's packaging normally has colourful designs
The revised packaging for the Calbee products will be introduced in stores from 25 May and the company said it will continue to monitor geopolitical risks.
"Calbee will continue to respond flexibly and promptly to changes in its operating environment, including geopolitical risks, and remains committed to maintaining a stable supply of safe, high‑quality products," it stated.
The US-Israel war on Iran broke out on 28 February this year, with the US and Israel killing the Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran then retaliated by closing the Strait of Hormuz to most international vessels, which has led to an increase in oil and gas prices. The strait is used to ship a fifth of the world's oil supply and the closure has created a bottleneck.
Japan's prime minister Sanae Takachi said it has had an "enormous impact" on the Indo-Pacific, reported news site MSN.
As well as oil prices increasing, global construction material costs could be set to rise if the Strait of Hormuz continues to be closed.
Over 40,000 civilian buildings in Iran have reportedly been damaged in the ongoing war.
The images are courtesy of Calbee.