The Germans' favorite holiday souvenir: the EU wants to ban mini shampoos in hotels
Created: 12/22/2022, 3:00 p.m
By: Franziska Kaindl
The EU Commission has formulated a proposal for dealing with packaging waste.
This could mean that mini shampoos in hotels will soon be history.
The fact that shampoos and other toiletries are freely available in many hotels is often a relief for holidaymakers - after all, it saves space in the suitcase and one less thing to think about.
At the same time, the care products are a popular "souvenir" - even though "closed small products" cannot simply be taken away.
"Anyone who takes these things or unopened products with them is liable to prosecution for theft," warned Sabine Fischer-Volk, a lawyer at the consumer advice center in Brandenburg, some time ago to the dpa news agency.
But that should soon no longer be a problem anyway: The EU Commission has presented a proposal that is intended to further reduce packaging waste.
It could soon be the turn of the mini shampoos in hotels.
Disposable packaging, mini bottles & Co.: The EU wants to ban them
The planned regulations of the EU Commission provide, among other things, for a ban on unnecessary packaging.
This includes “disposable packaging for food and drinks that are consumed in restaurants and cafes, disposable packaging for fruit and vegetables, miniature shampoo bottles and other miniature packaging in hotels.” Individually packaged coffee milk, ketchup, mustard or mayonnaise – that is also according to
Bild.de
affected by the regulation.
The overarching goal is to reduce packaging waste by 15 percent per member state and per capita by 2040.
By 2030, all packaging should be completely recyclable.
Mini shampoos and shower gels are commonplace in many hotels.
© Imago
Hotel industry points to alternatives for mini shampoo bottles
In the hotel industry, the planned regulations are being accepted with equanimity.
According to Axel Klein, Managing Director of Dehoga Sachsen, a ban on mini shampoo bottles in hotel rooms is not a problem.
Many companies are already using large shampoo dispensers in the shower, as he reports according to MDR.
Even when it comes to breakfast, hotels can do without individually packaged products: “There are already solutions for this.
For butter, for example, there are machines - especially in larger companies - that eject the butter in portions.
It is quite possible to dispense with individual packaging with new ideas and variants.
And I also believe that it is quite feasible from a hygienic point of view.”
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The whole thing is seen a little more critically in gastronomy, especially with regard to disposable packaging for leftover food that guests want to take home.
"Everyone knows that if you can't manage the portion, you're more than happy to wrap it up and not throw it away.
And it's difficult to tell the guest to bring their own packaging from home.
I see the contradiction here in that we actually want to avoid waste and that food that is still edible and that the guest might still want to eat then goes in the waste.
On the other hand, we are pushing waste production again," says Michael Schmidt, President of Dehoga Saxony-Anhalt, according to MDR.
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Before there is a final ban, the Commission must first coordinate with the EU countries and the EU Parliament.
A deadline for the entry into force of the regulation has not yet been set.