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IHG to abolish 200m bathroom minatures in fight against plastic waste

InterContinental Hotels Group claims to be the first global hotel company to commit all brands to abolish bathroom miniatures in favour of bulk-size amenities.

The move across almost 843,000 bedrooms in 5,600 hotels is due to be completed in 2021.

IHG has an average of 200 million bathroom miniatures in use across its entire portfolio hotel every year.

The company expects to see a “significant reduction” in plastic waste as a result of the new initiative.

The pledge builds on efforts to reduce plastic waste as part of a broader sustainability agenda,

The new commitment builds on a pledge to remove plastic straws from its hotels by the end of 2019, and a number of broader waste reduction initiatives.

CEO Keith Barr said: “It’s more important than ever that companies challenge themselves to operate responsibly – we know it’s what our guests, owners, colleagues, investors and suppliers rightly expect.

“Switching to larger-size amenities across more than 5,600 hotels around the world is a big step in the right direction and will allow us to significantly reduce our waste footprint and environmental impact as we make the change.

“We’ve already made great strides in this area, with almost a third of our estate already adopting the change and we’re proud to lead our industry by making this a brand standard for every single IHG hotel. We’re passionate about sustainability and we’ll continue to explore ways to make a positive difference to the environment and our local communities.”

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