Snack giant switches to monochrome packaging as Iran war chokes ink supplies
A major global snack maker has switched some packaging to black and white as the Iran war's disruption of the Strait of Hormuz strangles supplies of petrochemical-based coloured inks. Companies across food, cosmetics and household goods report rising input costs.
A major global snack maker has switched several product lines to black-and-white packaging, citing the disruption to colour-ink supply caused by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The company said petrochemical feedstocks used in coloured pigments have become scarce as shipping diverts around the Cape of Good Hope.
The packaging change is one of the most visible signs that the conflict between Israel, Iran and the United States is now reaching deep into everyday consumer goods. Manufacturers in food, cosmetics and household products report rising input costs and warn that price increases on retail shelves are likely to follow.
Industry consultants say the squeeze could persist into 2027 even if a ceasefire is reached, because damaged refineries and petrochemical plants will take many months to restart. Procurement teams are stockpiling pigments and testing synthetic alternatives, though they say these cannot fully replace petrochemical-derived inks at current production scales.
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