Calbee, a major Japanese snack manufacturer, plans to reintroduce full-color packaging on certain products as the ink shortage caused by tensions in the Middle East begins to ease.
On 10 July 2026, NHK reported that Calbee, a leading Japanese snack maker, announced it will resume full-color printing on the front of some product packaging as ink supply conditions return to normal. This follows a late May decision when the company switched the packaging of 14 main products to black and white due to Middle East tensions disrupting the supply of raw materials used to produce color printing ink.
Calbee stated that ink supply trends have stabilized, so it plans to bring back full-color packaging for six products, including Potato Chips and Kappa Ebisen, the company's popular shrimp crackers.
The new batches will be available in stores starting from late July. However, the back of the packaging will remain black and white, and some products will continue to use fully black-and-white packaging. The company emphasized that color packaging plays a crucial role in consumer purchasing decisions and will continue to adapt quickly and flexibly to changes in the business environment.