The Impact of the Global Economic Crisis on Packaging Design
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz marked the beginning of a global economic crisis, solidified by the increase in oil prices and pause in shipping. No solution nor strategy has unfold clearly across states or international institutions, proving the fragmentation of a transnational economic-political-social order, and incite public unrest. Uncertainty has cemented itself as a new “norm” in navigating the ruins of the global order, where people have now resorted to salvage themselves by stockpiling or community organising and mindsets have demanded us to embrace thinking for the worst.
This tension is exacerbated by the continuous increase in production costs and prices for goods and services, evident when local businesses began to announce their “adjusted” price lists that are adjusted to factor in the increasing costs of raw materials to the mass complaints of the rising expenditure for weekly groceries. “I don’t know why it costs IDR 250,000 just to buy my essentials. I only bought fruits, vegetables, meat and toiletries. This has led me to believe that I cannot hope for the better,” a friend shared.
Amongst the ripple of inflation, there have been a rise in packaging and plastic prices, which urged businesses and industries to cut cost, and strategise their production accordingly. In Indonesia, the people have taken the matter into their own hands by finding alternative materials for packaging, such as banana leaf and cassava fibers which act as containers for their food & beverage. This response garnered online discourse, as it highlighted the “innovative spirit” of Indonesians, as well as the ability to find eco-friendly and sustainable solutions – indicating a silver lining amidst the bleakness of the global situation.
In Japan, Calbee became amongst the first internationally-known businesses to implement drastic measures into their product’s packaging. As a well-loved snack brand, Calbee has established its “signature warmth” through its friendly packaging that heavily relied on the use of block colours and imagery. However, Calbee has recently announced that the brand will be launching black-and-white packaging, effective May 25 2026. This decision was announced as part of a company-wide initiative to “reduce the environmental burden caused by petroleum-based plastics”, implemented across their snack lines that range from bagged chips to stand-up pouches.
This change has completely shifted the brand imagery of Calbee that has been known for their design system that associates block and solid colours to flavour offerings, as well as the presence of the Calbee Potato Mascot as well as the product imagery that details the ridges and shape of their snacks.
When asked about the sudden change, a Calbee spokesperson shared that it was due to the rise of “raw materials”, specifically called Naphtha, which is described to be a petroleum byproduct used in part of the ink manufacturing process. This statement signified the reliance of the global economy on petroleum not merely as a raw material for transportation, but as a manufacturing ingredient.
In fact, before the Strait was closed, it was discovered that 40% of Naphtha in Japan was sourced from the Middle East, and now the Japanese government is taking measures to outsource from the US.
Upon reflection, the array of situations reveals the interconnectedness of our economic system, which perhaps offers an opportunity to interrogate our foreign trade strategies, and encourage optimal solutions to strengthen and sustain our local economies. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to be vastly applied, but what is urgently required is implementation of viable policies that are responsive to each country’s contexts. Economists, entrepreneurs, government officials, and policymakers hold the greatest responsibilities to mitigate these changes – as much as possible, and to bring our economies into recovery.
