The days of pilfering tiny bottles of shampoo and body wash from your hotel room may be coming to an end, with global chain Marriott International planning to replace most of its single-use toiletry bottles worldwide with large pump-topped bottles by the end of next year.
Tiny bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and bath gel have already been replaced with large pump bottles at around 1000 North American Marriott properties, and the programme is now set to be rolled out worldwide, with most of its other hotels expected to switch over by December 2020.
According to Arne Sorenson, president and CEO of Marriott International, the scheme is expected to keep about 500 million tiny bottles out of landfill per year – a reduction of approximately 770,000 kilograms of plastic, which represents a 30 per cent drop from current amenity plastic usage.
“This is our second global initiative aimed at reducing single-use plastics in just over a year, which underscores how important we believe it is to continuously find ways to reduce our hotels’ environmental impact. It’s a huge priority for us.
“Our guests are looking to us to make changes that will create a meaningful difference for the environment while not sacrificing the quality service and experience they expect from our hotels,” said Sorenson.
Marriott began rolling out the larger bottles, which each contain as much product as 10 to 12 smaller single-use bottles that usually end up in landfill, in brands such as Courtyard by Marriott; SpringHill Suites; Residence Inn; Fairfield by Marriott; and TownePlace Suites early last year. Guest feedback has been positive, the company says.
The chain also began phasing out disposable plastic straws and stirrers last July, switching to an on-demand approach with alternative products where possible; the move has diverted an estimated one billion plastic straws from landfills per year.
Its sustainability goals include reducing landfill waste by 45 per cent, and responsibly sourcing its top 10 product purchase categories including guestroom amenities, by 2025.
