In today’s social platforms, young people never lose their enthusiasm for trying out new things. They engage in various activities such as buying lottery scratch cards, collecting golden beans, participating in travel adventures, etc. The latest addition to their list of favorites is “scrounging” at hotels.
A traveler named Keyu (pseudonym), upon checking out, became interested in the large-sized toiletries on the wall of the Ritz-Carlton. Unlike the samples that could easily be taken before, she decided to use an innovative method to transfer these luxury toiletries into an empty bottle to take with her. Although her thumb became numb during the process, considering the online price of over a hundred yuan for a bottle of shampoo, she thought the effort was worthwhile.
A similar scenario was seen in the popular TV series “Friends.” The main characters Ross and Chandler, in an attempt to recoup as much as possible, collected everything from their $600 suite including all samples, freebies, and even apples from the front desk and light bulbs from the room.
Getting the most out of hotel stays has become a new pleasure for some travelers. A person from Guangdong named Xiaolang (pseudonym) took away a large number of skincare samples and other complimentary items from a five-star hotel in Macau upon checking out, including toothpaste, sodas, and snacks. On social platforms, many people share their experiences and skills of “scrounging” at hotels, claiming it to be both reasonable and environmentally friendly.
Xiaolang shared that the reason for his actions was finding that the hotel’s sample brands were of value. Some branded goods are expensive; for example, the price of a 500ml shower gel from the “Pantene” brand amounts to 530 yuan. Moreover, he revealed that each time he takes items away, hotel staff not only don’t stop him but also help him pack them neatly.
Observations show that the young people are mainly involved in “scrounging” from hotels, targeting luxury hotels. One person shared that he stayed five days in a five-star hotel in Beijing, paying 1700 yuan per day. He posted pictures of the various toiletries and hotel freebies that he took with him. Another netizen shared his “haul” experience of successfully taking away luggage tags and other items when checking out from the Bulgari hotel.
Recently, a netizen shared their stay at the Bulgari hotel, revealing that the room charge for one night was up to 5000 yuan. Upon checking out, the guest did not leave empty-handed but had friends to help take away various items including toiletry samples, tooth kits, and grooming kits.
This incident has sparked a series of discussions about guests at luxury hotels “taking away” approved disposable products. Bulgari Hotel’s case is not an isolated incident; some travelers state that after paying more than 3000 yuan for a room, taking away permitted items like slippers, towels, etc., made it worth the cost.
Aside from luxury hotels, sometimes guests at economical hotels also engage in the same behavior. For example, a guest staying at a Seasons Hotel in Shaanxi region said that for just over 300 yuan, she took away some small gifts and daily necessities.
Hotels have different attitudes towards the “takeaway” behavior. Upon inquiry, staff from hotels like Bulgari and Ritz Carlton provided detailed guidance, generally allowing guests to take away small bottled toiletry products, and in some cases, even request more. However, not all items are allowed to be taken away, such as large bottles of toiletries, which are usually not permitted.
In the second-hand market, the same personal care products found in some hotels, such as shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, etc., are typically sold for around 20 yuan, while prices for other items like toothbrushes and shaving kits vary. The source of these products is mainly from guests taking them away after staying in the hotels.
For the supply chain of these products, Shenzhen Pinying Trading Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Sysco Guest Supply in China, plays a vital role. Shenzhen Pinying claims to be the exclusive agent for many well-known brands in China and serves many famous hotel groups such as Hilton and Marriott.
The sales manager of Shenzhen Pinying revealed that the Gilchrist&Soames brand provides a product line exclusively for Sheraton hotels, which is not sold externally. But the brand also has other products with the same ingredients as the Sheraton-exclusive line but with different packaging, which can be supplied to other hotels. The sales manager pointed out that the purchase price for 22ml Sheraton-brand shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel is approximately 2 yuan without any minimum purchase requirement. If the total order cost exceeds 13,000 yuan, free postal service is available. At the same time, the bulk packaged 360ml shampoo and shower gel with an acquisition cost of 17 yuan, and the slightly more expensive lotion, save about 30% compared to the smaller bottles, and can be fixed in place to prevent them from being taken away.
In the dental product line, Shenzhen Pinying also represents the high-end toothpaste brand MARVIS, with a purchase price of 7 yuan for 10ml hotel product line. In comparison, the cost of other brands like Colgate’s dental kits varies between one to three yuan, depending on size and packaging. Most hotels do not clearly specify the brand of toiletries supplied. On the wholesale website 1688, 30ml luxury hotel disposable shampoo and shower gel are only 0.4 yuan at wholesale price, and the 300ml package is 4.5 yuan, with a usual minimum order of 1000 bottles. The information from the suppliers shows that these products are in high demand, even facing stock shortages, and can be customized with the hotel’s logo and packaging, mainly targeting high-end star-rated hotels. Additionally, bulk packaging is a cost-saving option—with a 25kg package costing less than two hundred yuan.
For ordinary hotels and guesthouses, more economical toiletry sets are also available in the market; for example, 30ml packages on e-commerce platforms are only 0.22 yuan. The annual transaction volume of these products exceeds 100,000 bottles. Despite the price difference, the seller emphasizes that all products meet quality inspection standards.
Looking at the hotel supplies provided by listed companies, there aren’t many such companies. “Two-Sided Needle,” hailed as the “first toothpaste stock,” reported in its 2023 annual report that the daily chemical segment contributed 867 million yuan in operating revenue, up 55.49% year-over-year, with a gross margin of 13.74%, accounting for 87.13% of the company’s total revenue. Among them, brands that rely on the tourism and hotel market include Two-Sided Needle, Mullanz, Xiaoyao, and Fangcao. Financial data shows that in 2023, Two-Sided Needle’s tourism toothpaste sales reached 1.465 billion units, a year-over-year increase of 57.34%, while household toothpaste sales were 28.7743 million units, up 14.36%. Two-Sided Needle’s subsidiary, Two-Sided Needle (Jiangsu) Industrial Co., Ltd., saw a significant increase in operating revenue and net profit over the previous year, indicating the company’s leading position in the hotel disposable supplies industry.
Minghui International, as a diversified supplier, covers multiple fields including hotel supplies, operational equipment, health care, and hygiene products. The company announced through its official website that its products include a variety of amenities and equipment required by hotels, facilities related to airline and hotel services, and personal care items. Room bath, miscellaneous room items, room appliances, and lobby supplies are all key product lines.
Moreover, Minghui International has also established international strategic partnerships with many leading global brands such as Molton Brown, Lanvin, Jurlique, AHAVA, Gentlemen’s Tonic, Lebon, and more.
According to the annual financial report of 2023, with the steady recovery of the global travel industry, market demand for hotel supply category products has seen a significant increase over a year. Financial data statistics show that as of December 31, 2023, Minghui International’s revenue in the hotel supply business surged to about 1.697 billion Hong Kong dollars, roughly equivalent to 1.57 billion yuan, increasing by 23.3%.
Wen Zhihong, a reputable expert from the chain operation industry and general manager of Hehong Consulting, pointed out in an interview that most hotels provide personal care items that guests can take away, especially high-end hotels often use this as a means to attract guests, making them feel a sense of achievement and receiving additional privileges. Although it seems like an extra treat, the cost of these products has already been calculated in the room fee, so for hotels, this consumption strategy is completely within their controllable cost range.
