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 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 to the European Commission (E-002490/2025) confirms the 2030 date and asks the Commission to clarify the scope.

Two points matter for purchasing:

• The ban is about the packaging format, not about plastic only. Several analyses of Annex V, such as PPWR Connect, read it as applying regardless of material. 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 items handed out on request at reception remain possible.
• Whether any size threshold will apply. We have not found one in the legal text, so we do not quote any.

According to the German trade title Tageskarte, the Commission is expected to publish guidance on scope and exceptions by February 2027. Some regions move earlier: in the Balearic Islands, hotels are already withdrawing miniatures, as reported by the Majorca Daily Bulletin. 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 the most common replacement. Lockable models answer the main guest concern, which is tampering. See our guide on refillable dispensers in guest bathrooms.

Solid formats

Soap bars, shampoo bars and solid conditioners use little or no packaging. Check how the regulation treats any wrapping on them once the guidance is published.

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 for situations where they are still allowed and justified, once the guidance confirms them.

Where to find the products

Suitality lists bathroom amenities, dispensers and refill formats from several European suppliers, with prices excluding VAT and minimum order shown on every product. 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.