The End is Nigh for Mini-Shampoos in Hotels - EU's Plastic Crackdown Forces Hotels and Cafés to Ditch Disposable Packaging by 2030

New EU rules are set to change how hotels near me and food businesses handle packaging and single-use plastics. The changes aim to cut waste and push for more recycling. Some measures have already started, with stricter rules coming by 2030.

The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is driving the shift. By 2030, only fully recyclable packaging will be allowed, and plastic must include a set amount of recycled material. The push for sustainability is already visible in hotels, where millions of small toiletries end up in landfills daily.

From August 2023, food-to-go providers, including restaurants and cafés, must use reusable containers. Meanwhile, EU Regulation 2025/40 will gradually remove single-use plastic items from hotels. Shower gels, soaps, and shaving kits in disposable packaging will disappear, though mini travel sizes sold in shops like DM or Rossmann remain unaffected.

Many hotels have started switching to wall-mounted dispensers for shampoo and shower gel. The transition will continue until 2030, when the full ban takes effect.

The new rules will force businesses to rethink their use of plastics. Hotels and food providers must adapt to reusable and recyclable options. By 2030, the changes should significantly reduce waste across the EU.