OM in the News: Hotel Chains Ditch Travel-Sized Toiletries

Accor is replacing the plastic toiletries with either wall dispensers or glass, bulk-sized toiletries by the end of 2020. The chain is also replacing a number of common hotel items usually made from plastic, including keycards, laundry bags and cups, with materials made from “relevant alternatives.” More than 200 million single-use plastic items are used annually at Accor’s hotels. The changes are part of its effort that focuses on “reducing environmental impacts and strengthening efforts to combat plastic pollution of the world’s oceans and other natural environments.” Accor is joining a growing list of hotel chains have been making changes to benefit the environment.

Businesses are facing disruption from climate change and customers are increasingly demanding that products and services are environmentally friendly, reports CNN Business (Jan. 22, 2020). Last year Marriott said it was ditching personal toiletries from its more than 1 million guest rooms starting in 2020. The chain, which also owns Ritz-Carlton and W Hotels, said it expects to reduce its plastic disposal by 30% annually. IHG, which owns Kimpton Hotels and Crowne Plaza, is also in the process of replacing individual plastic toiletries with bulk-sized ones across its 843,000 rooms. So is Hilton, which has more than 950,000 rooms globally. That hotel chain also has a number of other environmental initiatives in place, including participating in the Clean the World soap program and improving energy efficiency.