The hotellerie evolves towards sustainability of the toiletries line. Today, the price of green beauty has an average gap of 15% on basic lines and also implies a reduction in waste and lower operating costs.
Sustainability is often the basis for product innovation. As was the case in the skin change initiated by the Bergamo-based Albogroup. “We started from the awareness of a progressive shortage of water on the planet,” explains entrepreneur Danilo Bonassoli, ‘and during the period of the pandemic we came out with solid cosmetic products, anticipating a trend linked to the water shortage that is already affecting the planet. ’The Solid.o Original line uses only 14% water inside the product, compared to 80% of detergents in liquid form. “This brings a number of advantages,” explains Bonassoli, “because on the one hand we can do without plastic, as all lines are packaged in cardboard, but also in transport the volumes and weight are completely different. It’s all concentrated”.Of course, the company has not been able to cancel the production of liquid hotel soaps, but in just a few years the market for solids has gone from zero to 40 per cent of sales. And in fact Albogroup is expanding production, developing contacts between hotel chains and shipping companies, and even reaching the airport segment. The real crux is therefore to change people’s habits. “Hotel guests are used to liquids, and using a lump that looks like a bar of soap can be disorienting,” explains the entrepreneur, “so we have to give them a product that is as good as a liquid. That’s why the research went on and we developed two complete lines from shaving cream to intimate hygiene. We have also created a travel kit and for the hotel proposal we have developed a wooden base with a leaflet that carefully explains its use”. The question arises: is the consumer ready? “I would say no,” Bonassoli replies, “in other words, young people are very ready, they all use solid cosmetics, while if you talk to boomers the interest is very minimal. We are pushing communication and trying to convince hotels to try it, perhaps starting with a part of the rooms to see the reaction of customers; we have also made a video that can run on screens to raise awareness and educate on its use. I hope that ten years from now we can reverse the trend”.
