The conflict in the Middle East has crimped oil and natural gas flows through the Strait of Hormuz, reducing global supply by about one-fifth. That strain is now spreading into every corner of the consumer market as prices rise for materials like plastic, rubber and polyester. In India, condom manufacturers are reporting disruptions from shortages in not only packaging materials and silicon oil, which requires petrochemical feedstocks, but also ammonia. No one knows how the war will play out.”Others are trying to cut costs by minimizing the amount of plastic used in packaging. In Indonesia, where plastic prices have doubled in the past month, companies are reducing the thickness of packaging material, according to the Indonesian Packaging Federation.

Source: CNN April 04, 2026 10:46 UTC