From Diet Coke To Helium: Consumers Feeling Iran War Shortages
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- The naphtha shortage is also being felt by manufacturers of cars, bathrooms and paint, according to the New York Times, which has also reported problems securing the ingredient.
- Also needed for AI chip manufacturing is tungsten, a metal with extreme heat resistance and electrical conductivity that also makes it critical for armor-piercing munitions, which the U.S.
Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Topline Calbee, Japan's biggest snack maker, on Tuesday warned its products will switch from their famously colorful packaging to black-and-white labels by the end of the month due to an Iran war-spurred shortage of an ink ingredient, the latest disruption to hit the supply chain due to the conflict in the Middle East.
Diet Coke cans are displayed for sale in India, where the conflict involving Iran has led to a shortage of Diet Coke, on April 22, 2026.NurPhoto via Getty ImagesKey FactsThe packaging change is reportedly to a shortage of naptha, an ink ingredient derived from petroleum, of which Japan imports 40% of its consumption from the Middle East via the Strait of Hormuz shipping channel that has been closed since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran at the end of February.
The naphtha shortage is also being felt by manufacturers of cars, bathrooms and paint, according to the New York Times, which has also reported problems securing the ingredient.