Food Promotion Agency Provides Information to Companies Grappling with Middle East Packaging Crisis

The Food Promotion Agency has stepped in to assist food companies struggling with packaging material shortages stemming from the Middle East. The majority of packaging used by food companies—such as wrappers for snacks and instant noodles, and containers for beverages—is based on synthetic resins derived from naphtha, making the supply chain vulnerable to instability. The recent Middle East situation has disrupted naphtha supply, leading to production delays in packaging materials and forcing some small and medium-sized food businesses to halt operations.

On the 30th, the Food Promotion Agency announced it would provide information on alternative packaging materials not derived from petrochemicals. The agency has produced card news detailing alternative packaging materials that do not use naphtha, for companies to utilize. This card news focuses on major alternative materials usable for food packaging, such as paper, metal, and glass, along with their applicability.

Furthermore, the Food Promotion Agency is building a list of related companies capable of supplying naphtha-free packaging materials to support connections with food companies. In the future, the agency plans to identify and compile case studies by food type to provide more concrete utilization information.