IHG’s entire hotel estate comprising nearly 850,000 rooms across more than 5,600 properties will switch instead to bulk-size toiletries.

The company says it has already made the switch across a third of its estate and expects to complete the transition during 2021.

IHG claims to be the first to commit to such a change, which will remove 200 million plastic miniatures from its hotels.

It is also aiming to eliminate plastic straws from its hotels by the end of this year and is committed to a number of “broader waste reduction initiatives”.

“As the new brand standard is adopted between now and 2021, the company expects to see a significant reduction in plastic waste,” said IHG.

Keith Barr, IHG chief executive, said: “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.”