Long before the new coronavirus pandemic popularized the use of alcohol gel dispensers, bottles were already part of everyday life in the hospitality sector in Brazil and around the world.
As a result of the search for more sustainability in all economic sectors, the use of larger bottles for shampoos, conditioners and liquid soaps, replacing smaller packaging for amenities, has become a trend in the market in recent years.
Initially adopted in hotels in Europe and Asia, the use of dispensers has recently gained important followers around the globe. At the end of 2020, the largest hotel chain in the world, the American Marriott, extinguished the miniatures in all of its more than 7 thousand establishments around the world. The British group InterContinental (with 5,600 hotels) will complete the replacement this year.
The reasons for the change of direction are many. Dispensers minimize waste, reduce environmental impact and the time it takes to replace products in rooms – speeding up housekeeping services.
And, with the restrictions imposed by the health crisis, large packaging can be even more advantageous. Firstly, because they generate cost savings for hosting facilities between 30% and 60%, a more than welcome reduction in challenging times.
Furthermore, they can also be used to offer alcohol gel and 70 proof alcohol to guests and employees, increasing security in the facilities.
The guest experience
When choosing to switch to dispensers, however, many managers and owners in the sector still fear its effects on their customers' experience.
After all, providing high-quality amenities is one of the main ways for the hotel industry to demonstrate its concern for the smallest details of its guests' stay.
With this in mind, the industry has been investing in modern and safe designs, and in customizing bottles with customer brands. This way, the feeling of exclusivity and attention to guests, which is so vital to the sector's activity, is maintained.
At Harus, a leading brand in the Brazilian market, it is possible to customize dispensers free of charge, depending on the quantity ordered. The company also offers packaging in Braille for people with visual impairments, helping its partners to comply with the Brazilian Law on the Inclusion of People with Disabilities.
Furthermore, all Harus products have the green plastic seal, reinforcing the sustainable bias of the dispensers.
In this sense, it is also necessary to consider the change in the profile of consumers. In addition to continuing to desire a unique hospitality experience, they also seek a greater connection with the world around them, in all their choices.
Proof of this is that, according to Marriott's Vice President of Sustainability and Supply Diversity, Denise Naguib, consumer reaction to the adoption of dispensers in the chain has been positive. “More and more people are making conscious use of these products,” he says. “They don’t want to leave half-empty bottles lying around.”
