Calbee will temporarily switch 14 snack and cereal lines to two-colour packaging after Middle East disruption hit raw material supplies.

The Japanese food giant said products including Potato Chips, Kappa Ebisen and Frugra would move to revised packaging in stores from the week of May 25.

The change will limit affected packs to two ink colours and will be rolled out across selected sizes and channels in Japan, including convenience stores.

Calbee said the decision was in response to “supply instability affecting certain raw materials amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East” and was designed to maintain product availability.

The business said product quality would not be affected.

AP reported the issue was linked to shortages of naphtha, an oil-derived product used in plastics and ink, after the war in Iran disrupted supply through the Strait of Hormuz.

Kataage Potato lines will move to revised packaging from June 22, while other products including Kappa Ebisen and Frugra are expected to switch from May 25.

Calbee said: “This measure is intended to help maintain a stable supply of products.”

The move marks the latest sign that Middle East disruption is hitting retail supply chains beyond fuel, with oil-derived inputs used across packaging, plastics, transport and manufacturing.

For UK retailers, it underlines the risk that geopolitical disruption could feed through into packaging and production costs, even where goods are not directly sourced from the region.

Calbee’s UK business owns Seabrook Crisps, Seabrook Loaded and Harvest Snaps, although there is no indication its UK packaging has been affected.

The packaging switch comes after Next said it would raise prices by up to 8 per cent in some markets outside Europe to offset higher international costs linked to the Iran war, including air freight and local distribution.