Kagome Adapts to Ink Shortages

May 15, 2026 | News On Japan

NAGOYA - Kagome announced on May 14th that it will temporarily redesign several ketchup products by reducing printed packaging areas and adopting mostly transparent labels as worsening tensions in the Middle East continue to disrupt supplies of white ink and other petroleum-based packaging materials across Japan.

The Nagoya-based food manufacturer said three varieties of its "Kagome Tomato Ketchup" products will gradually switch to a new design featuring significantly less printing on the outer packaging.

According to the company, the supply of white ink used as the base layer beneath the tomato illustrations on the packaging has become unstable due to the deteriorating situation in the Middle East. The redesign is expected to reduce ink usage by about half.

The issue comes as Japanese manufacturers increasingly face shortages of ink-related materials linked to disruptions in the supply of naphtha, a petroleum-derived raw material used in printing inks. Japan relies heavily on Middle Eastern imports for naphtha, leaving manufacturers exposed to supply chain risks connected to instability around the Strait of Hormuz.

In recent days, snack maker Calbee also announced plans to temporarily switch some products to simplified black-and-white packaging designs in an effort to conserve ink materials and maintain stable shipments.

Kagome said there will be no changes to the container itself or the quality of the product, with the revised packaging scheduled to be introduced sequentially from late May.

The company said: "We regret having to change a design that customers have grown familiar with over many years, but this is an unavoidable measure to ensure a stable supply of the product."

Previously: Japanese Food Companies Strip Down Packaging to Save Ink

Source: Nagoya TV News

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