The company said the situation had been caused by knock-on increases due to a 40% shortfall in the amount of ethyl acetate reaching the market. The substance is used as a fast-drying solvent in the manufacture of gravure and flexo packaging inks.

Sun Chemical corporate vice president Richard Pettifor said: The force majeure situation on ethyl acetate has been ongoing since June, and is predicted to continue for the foreseeable future.

We cannot continue to absorb this increase. Consequently we regretfully have to pass this on to the flexible packaging market.

BP Chemicals, Europes largest producer of ethyl acetate, has had manufacturing problems at its Hull site, which is operating well below capacity.

Publication gravure inks, which are based on toluene, are unaffected by the supply problem.