The war in Iran has disrupted global oil and gas supplies, sent energy prices higher and pushed up pump costs for drivers. Beyond energy, the conflict is triggering a string of unexpected shortages and price spikes that could touch everyday life worldwide.
Governments are already urging conservation. South Korea’s president suggested shorter showers; Indian restaurants are cutting slow-simmered dishes like butter chicken because cooking gas is scarce; and the Philippines has asked officials to take stairs instead of elevators to save electricity.
Here are practical ways the shortages may reach consumers soon.
Higher aluminum costs could raise the price of canned drinks
Attacks on two large Middle East aluminum smelters — key suppliers to the U.S. market — pushed aluminum to a four-year high. Aluminum is widely used for beverage cans, vehicle parts and packaging, so rising metal prices can translate into higher costs for beer, soda and many manufactured goods.
Helium shortages affect balloons, MRIs and smartphones
Global helium supply tightened after Qatar — a major producer — halted shipments amid regional disruptions. Helium is essential for birthday balloons but also for MRI scanners, rocket systems and the manufacture of semiconductor chips used in phones and computers. A sustained price spike in helium could eventually strain semiconductor production and medical services.
Fertilizer hiccups threaten plantings and food supply
Roughly a third of global fertilizer shipments transit the Strait of Hormuz. Natural gas shortages have already idled some fertilizer plants in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, and fertilizer prices have risen about 25% as U.S. farmers begin spring planting. American growers face a possible shortfall of roughly 2 million tons of fertilizer this season, which could force lower application rates, reduced plantings and upward pressure on food prices over time.
Borrowing costs and mortgage rates rise
Financial-market uncertainty from the conflict has pushed up Treasury yields and borrowing costs. Average mortgage rates dipped below 6% before the war but have moved back toward the mid-6% range since. Higher yields increase mortgage payments and can slow housing activity.
Sulfur price pressure may affect batteries and industrial materials
Sulfur — a byproduct of oil refining used in some batteries, semiconductors and industrial processes — moves through the same chokepoints. Disrupted shipping can lift sulfur prices, potentially complicating battery supply chains. Unlike oil or gas, sulfur can be harder to reroute quickly.
Petrochemical and plastics disruptions could ripple through manufacturing
Oil is the feedstock for many petrochemicals and plastics. Gulf producers supply feedstocks to Asian factories that, in turn, supply global industries. Even if transit reopens, petrochemical supply chains can take months to clear backlogs. U.S. petrochemical prices are already rising, signaling possible shortages of plastic pellets and higher material costs across multiple sectors.
Cooking gas shortages are already biting in India
Shortfalls of natural gas for cooking have prompted panic buying of gas canisters in parts of India, leading some restaurants to temporarily close or raise prices. Household and industrial users face similar strains where supplies are constrained.
The conflict’s effects go well beyond higher gasoline prices. Disruptions to shipping, energy and raw-material flows can cascade into products as ordinary as canned drinks, birthday balloons and restaurant meals, as well as into critical medical and tech supply chains.
Reporting by Lilly Quiroz, Camila Domonoske, Scott Horsley, Stephan Bisaha, Fatma Tanis, Omkar Khandekar and Frank Morris. Graphics by Brent Jones.