Marriott bans single-use shampoo, bath gel plastic bottles

Hotelier Marriott International Inc., said to be the world’s largest hotel chain, will discontinue single-use plastic bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and bath gel at its 7,000 properties worldwide.

The company will replace the small bottles with larger pump-topped dispensers by December 2020, and estimates that the switch will prevent an estimated 1.7 million pounds of plastic – representing about 30 per cent of the company’s plastic consumption – going to landfills each year.

“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,” Marriott CEO and president Arne Sorenson said in a statement.

Marriott has already begun the process of swapping out small bottles at about 1,000 of its North American locations, and will now expand the initiative to its worldwide properties.

Marriott’s announcement comes one month after competitor InterContinental Hotels Group, which operates Holiday Inn, announced a similar initiative – the group predicted that its move will eliminate about 200 million tiny bottles each year by 2021.