Editor's Pick: 'Reality Check' Hits Ordinary Japanese Citizens as 'Food Paradise' Faces Disruptions

At a supermarket in Tokyo, a familiar snack is displayed in a black-and-white package right next to the original red one.

The top of the package reads, "Packaging designed to save petroleum resources."

A major Japanese confectionery company has begun selling some of its products with redesigned packaging to reduce ink usage.

[Consumer: It feels like a much more relatable issue in our daily lives. I think it will be an opportunity for children and the younger generation to realize the reality of the naphtha issue.]

At convenience stores, cup colors used to distinguish types of instant coffee have been unified to white, and one pasta brand has stopped printing cooking instructions on the bands used to bundle the noodles.

Because naphtha is a raw material for countless petrochemical products, including ink and plastic, the impact of supply disruptions is spreading across various sectors.

In Chiba Prefecture, shelves are empty due to a shortage of garbage bags, with signs posted stating, "Please understand that items may be out of stock as deliveries are delayed due to the situation in the Middle East."

Some stores have even placed purchase limits, allowing only one pack per household.

[Supermarket Staff: We have no stock other than what is currently displayed here.]

Supermarkets are also removing colors from containers for fresh products and replacing plastic containers with cheaper alternatives like plastic wrap.

[Consumer: If they can keep prices from rising by changing the packaging, that's a good thing.]

With a major household goods company announcing plans to raise prices on all products, including diapers, by more than 15%, the "naphtha shock" is now translating into a financial burden for ordinary households.

[Sanae Takaichi / Prime Minister of Japan: While we are in a situation where we can continue to supply chemical products made from crude oil and naphtha next year, bottlenecks are occurring in the distribution process.]

In a recent poll, Prime Minister Takaichi's approval rating saw a slight decline, with 64% of respondents saying they "cannot accept" the government's explanation regarding naphtha supply, pointing to it as a source of political discontent.

Reported by Moon Jun-mo | Video by Han Cheol-min and Moon Hyun-jin | Video Editing by Lee Seung-hee | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.