IHG Properties & Resorts today announced a global partnership with Unilever to replace single-use amenities and bathroom miniatures with bulk amenities* in over 4,000 hotels worldwide.
In 2019, IHG became the first global hotel business to commit to removing bathroom miniatures in favour of larger-size amenities across all of its hotel brands by 2030, as part of its goal to eliminate single-use products during the guest stay. As a result, bulk bathroom amenity contracts are now in place in all of IHG’s markets**.
IHG Essentials and Suites Collection hotels, including Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, avid hotels, Staybridge Suites, and Candlewood Suites***, will utilize full-size hand wash, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and body lotion from Unilever’s top brand, Dove.
Following the recent introduction of larger-size bathroom amenities into InterContinental Hotels & Resorts locations, full-size Unilever goods are now being rolled out throughout IHG’s mainstream brands, which account for about 80 per cent of IHG’s portfolio.
In IHG’s Americas region alone, the conversion to full-size forms is estimated to save at least 850 tonnes of plastic each year — the equivalent of five fully grown blue whales or 70 double-decker London buses.
IHG’s promise to lead the way toward a zero-waste hospitality sector is part of the company’s 10-year Journey to Tomorrow responsible business strategy, including several ambitious goals to improve people’s lives, communities, and the environment.
By 2030, the company plans to remove single-use goods, reduce food waste, implement circular solutions for main hotel commodity items, and convert to bulk amenities.
Unilever’s 2025 plans include commitments to:
- Halve the amount of virgin plastic it uses in its packaging and achieve an absolute reduction of more than 100,000 tonnes;
- Collect and process more plastic packaging than it sells;
- Ensure that 100 per cent of its plastic packaging is designed to be reusable, recyclable, or compostable; and
- Use 25 per cent recycled plastic in its packaging.
IHG Hotels & Resorts is a worldwide hospitality company committed to delivering True Hospitality for Good.
IHG has over 6,000 open hotels in more than 100 countries, with another 1,800 in the pipeline, thanks to its family of 17 hotel brands and IHG Rewards, one of the world’s most extensive hotel loyalty programmes.
The Group’s holding company, InterContinental Hotels Group PLC, is established and registered in England and Wales. IHG employs over 350,000 employees in its hotels and business offices worldwide.
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* Defined as being larger bottles/dispensers of at least 250ml in size, which are not replaced after each guest’s stay.
** In some markets, hotels have a choice of the supplier so that a different full-size amenity brand may be adopted
***Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express: In the Americas and EMEAA only; avid Hotels, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites: In the Americas only.