GUEST ROOM DISPENSERS
THE BIG DEBATE: REFILLABLE BOTTLES, OR REPLACEMENT CARTRIDGES FOR IN ROOM DISPENSERS?…AND WHILE WE ARE AT IT, LET’S DO A COST COMPARISON.
First, let’s look at the facts.
Dispensers are becoming much more common in hotel rooms. Why? A couple of reasons.
- They appear to be environmentally friendly
- They are less expensive than the miniature bottles
Let’s dive in
The reasoning behind the perception of guest dispensers being environmentally friendly is that there is less plastic that makes it into the landfill.
Case Study:
Subject: 100 Room Hotel
Occupancy: 70%
Sold rooms per year: 25,000
Dispenser A:
Comes with refillable bottles from bulk 5 litre plastic containers.
These plastic containers (empty) weigh approximately 150 grams , which a hotel will go through approximately 1.5 containers per room, per product, per year.
Subject Hotel goes through: Shampoo: 100 Shampoo, 180 Bodywash, 90 Conditioner
Total: 370 Containers = 55,000 grams of plastic (121 lbs)
Annual cost: $12,950
Dispenser B:
Comes with replaceable cartridges (450 ml)
These plastic cartridges (empty) weigh approximately 150 grams, which a hotel will go through
approximately 11 containers per room, per product, per year.
Subject Hotel goes through: Shampoo: 1,100, 1,550 bodywash, 800 Conditioner
Total: 3,450 containers = 517,500 grams of plastic (1,140 lbs )
Annual cost: $17,250
Amenity Bottles comparison
Bottles weigh (empty) approximately 6 grams , which a hotel will go through a usage factor per sold room of between 35-60%
Subject hotel goes through: Shampoo: 15,000, Conditioner 12,000. In this scenario, there is no plastic used for the bar soap, however for cost comparison, usage on soap would be 18,000
Total bottles and soap used: 45,000 (shampoo and conditioner 25,000) = 150,000 grams of plastic (330 lbs)
Annual cost: $14,400
Based on the annual cost, it’s apparent that going with dispensers is not necessarily going to save money for the hotel. Especially if the hotel goes with the dispenser that has replaceable cartridges.
But, it’s more about the environmental impact…right?
So, here are the comparisons
- Dispenser A: Refillable cartridges plastic disposal: 121 lbs
- Amenity bottles: plastic disposal 330 lbs
- Dispenser B: plastic disposal: 1,140 lbs
Well, that pretty much sums it up.
Choose wisely my friends :)