China's Disposable-Items Rules for Hotels and the Move to Dispensers: What Is Covered, City Rules, 5 L Refills and Guest Communication

National plastic-pollution policy and tourism guidance ask hotels in mainland China not to actively provide disposable items, usually named as toothbrushes, combs, razors, shower caps, shoe brushes and nail files. Several cities, Shanghai among the first, applied such rules earlier. Many hotels have also moved shampoo and shower gel into dispensers filled from bulk refills. Local detail varies, so check the rules for your city.

This guide explains what the policy covers, how city rules fit in, and how to plan a switch to dispensers without hurting the guest experience. It is general information, not legal advice. Confirm current requirements with your local hotel association, the relevant city authorities or a consultant. For our wider China supply overview, see the China hotel amenities page.

Where the policy comes from

Three strands come together. National plastic-pollution policy issued in 2020 set out a staged reduction of single-use plastics and asked the hotel sector to stop actively providing disposable items. The revised solid waste law contains a broad requirement for the tourism and accommodation sectors to promote not actively providing disposable items. And tourism-sector guidance has encouraged hotels to follow the same direction. Cities and provinces then set their own rules and timetables, some of them earlier than the national dates.

Shanghai was among the first cities to apply rules, and others followed. Because local rules can be more detailed than national policy, a group with hotels in several cities may face slightly different requirements in each.

What is usually covered

The items most often named are the small disposables historically placed in hotel bathrooms:

• Toothbrushes and toothpaste sets
• Combs
• Razors
• Shower caps
• Shoe brushes
• Nail files

Some local lists include bath scrubs, slippers or other items. The wording is typically about not actively providing them, which is different from a ban. In many places, guests can still ask for an item and the hotel may supply it, sometimes for a charge. Check the exact wording that applies to you.

Harrods Health does not make any of these accessory items, or slippers. We make liquid toiletries and lotions, which is where the second change, the move to dispensers, comes in.

Liquid toiletries and the move to dispensers

Shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and body lotion in small plastic bottles are not always on the named lists, but they are single-use plastic in practice. Many hotels in China moved them into refillable dispensers at the same time as they changed their approach to accessories. The trend is clear, even where a specific rule does not require it.

Format	Strengths	Watch-outs
Minis	Familiar, sealed, easy to hand over on request	Most packaging per use; may conflict with local policy direction
Wall dispensers	Least packaging, secure, quick to refill	Look institutional unless well designed
Counter-top refillable bottles	Premium look, branded	Need a clear refilling procedure
5 L refills	Efficient central stock for dispensers	Need correct storage and labelling

Our article on minis, dispensers and bulk refills compares the formats in more depth.

Choosing dispensers for Chinese properties

Business hotels and serviced apartments often choose wall units for durability and speed. Luxury and resort properties prefer counter-top bottles with a decorated finish, so the bathroom still feels considered. In shared bathrooms, a 2-in-1 shampoo and body wash keeps things simple. We supply dispenser bottles and decorate them in-house with your branding; see custom packaging.

Running dispensers on 5 L refills

Dispensers save packaging only if they are refilled well. Housekeeping should empty, clean and dry a bottle before refilling rather than topping up, label refill containers clearly, and use stock in date order. Our refilling SOP sets out a workable procedure. We fill 5 L refills to match the products in your dispensers and can label each refill clearly in Chinese for staff.

Labelling for dispensers

The refill carries the full product label. What the dispenser itself must show depends on current labelling rules and how the product is presented; confirm with your domestic responsible person. Our guide to Chinese labelling and claims covers the wider labelling picture.

Keeping a few minis for requests

Some hotels keep a small stock of minis or sachets for guests who ask, such as those arriving late without their own toiletries. Where local rules allow supply on request, this can be a sensible bridge. Sachets also suit spa changing rooms and fitness centres. Check whether any charge or record-keeping applies in your city.

Planning the switch

A move from minis to dispensers works best as a short project rather than a stock change. Start with an audit of what each room type receives today, which items guests actually use, and which items local rules name. Then choose a format for each room type: wall units for high-turnover rooms, decorated counter-top bottles for suites and resort rooms, and a small on-request stock of minis or sachets.

Keep the scent. Guests who loved a hotel's shower gel in a mini bottle should recognise it in the dispenser, so the change feels like continuity rather than a downgrade. Agree refill volumes with us based on occupancy and dispenser size, and set a par level for each floor's store. Train housekeeping on the refilling procedure before the first dispenser goes in, not after. If you manage hotels in several cities, roll out city by city in line with local timetables, and keep a short record of what changed and when. That record helps when an owner, auditor or local authority asks how the property meets the rules.

Communicating the change to guests

The policy is now familiar to many domestic travellers, but international guests may be surprised to find no toothbrush in the room. A short, polite note avoids complaints at the front desk.

1. Place a card in the bathroom, in Chinese and English, explaining that disposable items are available on request.
2. Mention the change in pre-arrival messages, especially for international bookings.
3. Train front-desk and housekeeping staff to offer items quickly and without fuss.
4. Make dispensers look deliberate, with good bottles and a signature scent, so guests read the change as an upgrade rather than a cut.
5. Avoid broad environmental claims you cannot support. Describe what you have changed, simply.

Where we fit

We make shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, 2-in-1, body lotion and hand wash in dispensers and 5 L refills, with minis, tubes and sachets for on-request use. We supply the formula, ingredient list and manufacturing documents your responsible person needs for filing. For a city view of how the rules arrived early, see our Shanghai and East China guide.

Frequently asked questions

Are hotels in China banned from providing toothbrushes?

The policy generally asks hotels not to actively provide them, which differs from a ban. Guests can often request items. Check the wording of your local rules.

Do the rules cover shampoo bottles?

Liquid toiletries are not always on the named lists, but many hotels moved them to dispensers. Check whether your city's rules mention them.

Do all cities apply the same rules?

No. National policy sets the direction, and cities and provinces set detail and timing. Shanghai was among the first.

Can you supply the toothbrushes and combs as well?

No. We do not make accessory kits or slippers. We make liquid toiletries, lotions and spa massage oils.

Browse our hotel amenities collection or send us your dispenser specification.