The EU ban on hotel miniature toiletries: what buyers should plan before 2030

Small shampoo and shower gel bottles have been part of the hotel bathroom for decades. In the European Union, their end date is now written into law. The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (EU) 2025/40, known as PPWR, bans single-use packaging for cosmetic, hygiene and toiletry products intended for an individual booking in the accommodation sector from 1 January 2030. This guide sums up what buyers know today and what they can do now.

What the regulation says

The ban sits in Article 25 and Annex V, point 5 of the regulation. It targets single-use packaging of toiletry products offered to guests in hotels and other accommodation. A written question tabled by MEP Seán Kelly on 20 June 2025 (E-002490/2025) quotes the 2030 date and asks the Commission to clarify which products are covered and whether items can be offered on request at reception.

The other dates that affect hotels and restaurants, from takeaway refills in 2027 to single-portion condiments in 2030, are in our overview of the EU packaging rules.

Two points matter for purchasing:

• The ban is about the packaging format, not about plastic only. The text of Annex V, point 5 covers single-use packaging whatever its material, unlike points 1 to 4, which only concern plastic. Switching from a plastic miniature to a paper or aluminium miniature is not a safe way around it.
• It applies to the accommodation sector across the EU, so groups with hotels in several countries can plan one policy.

What is still unclear

Some questions remain open, and buyers should not commit large volumes on assumptions:

• The exact list of products covered by "cosmetic, hygiene and toiletry products".
• Whether the Commission guidelines will allow any exemption, for example for items handed out on request at reception. Its FAQ of August 2026 notes that the regulation itself does not exempt them.
• How the authorities will apply the criterion that the legal text uses instead of a size threshold: point 5 covers packaging intended for an individual booking only and intended to be discarded before the next guest arrives, whatever its size.

The European Commission published general guidance and FAQs on the regulation on 30 March 2026, summarised by Baker McKenzie. Under Article 25(6), the Commission must publish guidelines on these formats, with examples and any exemptions, by 12 February 2027. Check the rules in each country where you operate.

The alternatives

Wall or bottle dispensers

Pump bottles of 300 to 500 ml, fixed to the wall or placed on the vanity, are a common replacement. Lockable models answer a common guest concern, tampering, as an opinion piece on Hospitality Net points out. See our guide on refillable dispensers in guest bathrooms.

Solid formats

Soap bars, shampoo bars and solid conditioners use little or no packaging. Annex V, point 5 gives sachets around bar soap as an example of restricted packaging, so choose bars supplied without individual wrapping.

Large refill bottles for spas and yachts

Spa changing rooms and yacht cabins often already use large bottles. The same products can serve hotel rooms if the brand and scent match your standards.

A plan for the next three years

1. Count your current stock. Note how many months of miniatures you hold per property, so you buy only what you will use before your switch date.
2. Choose a switch date per property. Renovations and brand changes are natural moments. Avoid ordering a full year of miniatures in 2029.
3. Test two or three dispenser systems in a few rooms. Ask housekeeping how long refilling takes and watch guest reviews.
4. Plan the refill routine. Who refills, with what, and how often. A clean, full, locked dispenser is what guests notice.
5. Keep a small stock of sealed products only for cases that the Commission guidelines on Annex V, due by 12 February 2027, confirm as allowed. The Commission FAQ of August 2026 notes that the regulation does not exempt miniatures offered on request.

Where to find the products

Suitality lists bathroom amenities, dispensers and refill formats from several suppliers, with prices excluding VAT on every product and the minimum order when the supplier sets one. Browse amenities and bathroom supplies, or see our hotel supplies and spa supplies pages. For a full switch across several properties, send one quote request and we pass it to the suppliers concerned.

This article is for information and does not replace legal advice. Last checked: October 2026.