Reduction of Plastic in Hospitality Industry in the UK - Consumer Insights

Reduction of plastic in hospitality industry in
the UK - consumer insights

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Plastic is most convenient and common materials in the modern society. Use of the
plastic is controversial due to the negative impact on environment, human health and the
biodiversity. This does not biodegrade in environment but this breaks down in small particles
which can impact negatively on human health through releasing the toxins in food chain and
through poisoning the marine life and wildlife. As the awareness of harm of enhance in plastic
goods, organisations are mainly searing for the minimum ways to reduce plastic use. The present
research is related to analyse the current plastic usage situation and consumer insights on
reducing plastic within the hospitality business. In the given research, aim and objectives has
been developed on the basis of subject area. The information has been collected in literature
review by using secondary sources such as books, magazines, articles and journals. There has
been discussion about the current plastic usage situation in hospitality business and harmful
effects of plastic usage for environment. The usage of plastic is harmful for the environment so it
is necessary to reduce it by using the effective ways. The research methodology part has been
conducted for examining the tools and techniques for collection of data. There has been
quantitative method used because it helps in provide the in-depth information and data regarding
specific area. Under this, primary method of data collection has been used by developing a
questionnaire on the basis of specific subject area. In order to fill the questionnaire, there have
been 50 respondents chosen with the help of using random sampling method. At last, conclusion
and recommendations has been made on the basis of whole research.

Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................................2
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................1
Overview of the research............................................................................................................1
Background of research problem................................................................................................2
Rationale of the research.............................................................................................................3
Research aim...............................................................................................................................3
Research objectives.....................................................................................................................4
Research questions......................................................................................................................4
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW.........................................................................................5
The current plastic usage situation in hospitality business.........................................................5
The consumer insight in context of reducing use of plastic........................................................6
The harmful effects of plastic usage for environment................................................................7
The ways of reducing plastic usage in Marriott Hotel & Resorts...............................................8
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY...................................................................................................10
RESULTS......................................................................................................................................15
ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF RESULTS.........................................................................34
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS..........................................................................35
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................35
Recommendations.....................................................................................................................35
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................37

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
Overview of the research
Plastic usage is a very common practice which is mostly used by people but it has a
harmful impact on environment. The plastic is more frequently used as carry bags for carrying
various products from market to home. It includes that plastic can be considered as an important
element in regards to various items such as water bottles, combs, beverages containers which is
responsible for creating tonnes of plastic waste at global level. However, it has been analysed
that plastic have different forms which are using by people in which some of them are very
harmful because they are not able to recycle or destroyed in many years (Han and et. al., 2018).
Such type of plastic become a major threat of the atmosphere and develop environmental
imbalance. It involves different kinds of plastic such as high density polythene (HDPE),
polyvinyl chloride (PVC), low density polythene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), Polystyrene or
styrofoam (PS), miscellaneous plastics like polylactide, acrylic, acrylonitrile butadiene, styrene,
fibreglass, nylon & polycarbonate and polythene terephthalate (PETE or PET). In addition to
this, the plastic usage is carried out at large level at global level with generate problematic
situation for atmosphere. Extra use of plastic items and habit of throwing them in water bodies
create dangerous situation for aquatic animals because these plastic products get tangled with
plastic which make their life terrible. Many of hungry land animals eat waste and swallow
plastics items which have an accountability of their death. Tangling situation is mostly observed
in sea creates when they are suffering from problems in surviving which leads to death.
Plastic is required to be reduced by efforts of people and business organisation dealing in
hospitality industry to overcome with situation of pollution developed by excess use of plastic. It
includes major use of plastic by people because it is cheaper product, durable and addresses the
hygienic concerns due to which it is mostly preferred (Mensah, 2019). It is observed that plastic
is used in hospitality businesses because it is favourable to address the expectations immediacy
and convenience of guests. It is helpful in practice of use an throw easily due to which hotels and
restaurants used it to deliver their products for attaining needs and desires of customers.
However, the single use of plastic globally is developing serious cost for atmosphere of Earth
which create problems for human beings as well as other living beings of the planet. Plastic is
commonly used on Hospitality business in UK due to its cheaper cost and hygienic concerns but

it is responsible for destroying beauty of tourist destinations. It is necessary for authorities
associated with tourism sector to focus on this aspect that plastic create the major problem of
cleanliness and damage purity of atmosphere which impact on image of specific tourist place. It
will reduce attractiveness of particular place which decrease customer demand that results in
reduction of profitability. Meanwhile, tourism avoid to visit such places where plastic waste is
lying everywhere in order to avoid health problems. It is required to apply strict legal regulations
to reduce use of plastic because it is a major threat of earth.
Plastic use destroys the natural balance because it impacts negatively on lives of land and
aquatic animals that play an important role to make a balance in entire ecosystem. It becomes a
major issue because some of plastic forms cannot destroy and recycles which develops problem
of pollution. However, the hospitality companies of United Kingdom should apply the anti-
plastic fight and say no to plastic which is helpful for eliminating relevant threats of environment
(Sisson, Grisamore and Jang, 2020). The scale of single use of plastic in hospitality sector is
responsible for developing poison for nature which has a negative impact including waste on
beaches and rivers which can generate injury for people while swimming. It is necessary for
government to provide more effective as well as efficient guidelines of hospitality companies or
reduction of plastic use. Meanwhile, the convenient and comfort level is increased in terms of
products and services provided in hotels to boost up customer satisfaction. It is essential for
hotels operating in country to make their operational activities and delivery of services plastic
free to avoid plastic issues
Background of research problem
In context of this dissertation, it is based on the Marriott Hotels & Resorts which is
known as a brand operating in hotels and resorts. This organisation is based in Bethesda,
Maryland which is considered in best companies working in United Kingdom. It was founded by
J. Williard Marriott in the year around 1957, almost 63 years ago. However, it has number of
branches through the business is operating as it has around 567 hotels and resorts including
201366 rooms approximately (Baicu, Oehler-Sincai and Popescu, 2019). They provide effective
services and products to customer at global level through efforts of their well experienced and
creative employees. Marriott Hotels & Resorts announced about adopt plan for removing the
disposable plastic stirrers and straws from more than 6500 properties across the 30 brands around
world. After executed in one year, Marriott Hotels & Resorts could eliminate use of more than

the 1 million of plastic straws per years and also around quarter billion stirrers. In addition to
this, plastic straw of Marriott is latest change to increase business operations sustainability along
with reduction in plastic consumption. This hotel started to replace the small toiletry bottles in
guest bathrooms of around 450 chosen service hotels with the larger to minimize wastage. The
main initiative developed by Marriott hotel to minimizing the environmental impact. It sets
ambitious sustainability as well as social impact objectives which minimizing the landfill waste
through 45% and also responsibly sourcing top 10 categories of goods throughout 2025. The
sustainability programs are helpful in minimize environmental footprint.
Rationale of the research
Present report is taken into consideration on current plastic usage situation and consumer
insights on reducing plastic within the hospitality business. The plastic has the several valuable
uses and this also served to the environmental consequences. In this present time, around 300
million tonnes of the plastic waste produced every year. The plastic pollution has one of most
pressing environment related issues and enhancing manufacturing of the disposable plastic
goods. It is one of the effective exploration areas that are important in exploring knowledge in
context to particular research area (Barnard, 2015). Through conducting an investigation, learner
will get the information regarding the issues arise from the usage of plastic and the ways to
reducing it. Present research is helpful enhancing the skills and understanding of a learner so that
it cannot face any issue and enhance knowledge base. Another reason of researcher behind
conducting an investigation is personal interest of an investigator. It is effective in developing
professional and personal ability which would effective in considering the better productivity in
future.
Research aim
Research aim expresses intention of research study. This summarise in single sentence
that need to be attain in end of research project. Researcher should be phrased and specific in
such a manner that this is possible to determine what has been attained. It is helpful in generate
the testable and measurable data for accumulation of the people knowledge (Boluk, 2017).
“To analyse the current plastic usage situation and consumer insights on reducing plastic
within the hospitality business. A study on Marriott Hotel & Resorts.”

Research objectives
These explain concisely what an investigation is trying to attain. They summarise
accomplishments an investigator wishes to attain by project and gives right direction to study.
These are particular attainments that an investigators hopes to attain through study. Researcher
should assure that research objectives should be attainable means framed in keeping mind and
infrastructure needed for an investigation (Bruns-Smith and et. al., 2015).
 To examine the current plastic usage situation in hospitality business.
 To evaluate the consumer insight in context of reducing use of plastic.
 To determine the harmful effects of plastic usage for environment.
 To identify the ways of reducing plastic usage in Marriott Hotel & Resorts.
Research questions
 What is the current plastic usage situation in hospitality business?
 How to evaluate the consumer insight in context of reducing use of plastic?
 What are the harmful effects of plastic usage for environment?
 How to identify the ways of reducing plastic usage in Marriott Hotel & Resorts?

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
Literature is explains as collection of the published information on specific subject area
for an instance journals, books, articles, magazines etc. Literature review is search and also
examination of available literature in specific research area. It shows about the readers that they
have in- depth grasp of subject and add to existing agreed knowledge body. This is more than
summary of sources that combine both synthesis and summary (Choi and et. al., 2019). Summary
is recap of essential information of source but synthesis is related to reshuffling information. In
literature review, reviewing act consisting examining the individual sources and also
synthesising sources to gain wider overpower of specific area. In conducting the literature review
part, secondary sources of data collection has been used. In this literature review has been
discussed about the current use of plastic in the hospitality business. Plastic is harmful for the
environment, animals and human and this impact on their health.
The current plastic usage situation in hospitality business
As per views of Dembek (2020), Plastic wastage has become main issue of environment.
This is clogging to ocean, causing great harm deal to planet. In context to tackle issues, main
campaign has been launched and also minimize amount of the plastic wastage both businesses
and customers are generating. Plastic can be considered as one time invention but nobody can
deny its harmful impact of environment which is required to be reduced. The hospitality sector is
waking up to issue related to plastic waste but it is two way street. The hotels are relying on
affordable and convenient materials as much as the visitors do. The single use plastic goods have
given economy and convenience. The plastic goods ate cheap, address hygienic concerns and
durable. These are mainly apparent in hospitality sector because of better expectations of guests.
It includes the cost of food being wasted in food service in hospitality and food services sector
was estimated around £2.5 billion per year in United Kingdom. It is observed that wastage has
been done on a large level which is required to be preventing because this cost of food wastage
raises to £3.0 billion till next 5 to 6 years. In the hospitality sector, single 200 room four start
hotel can use around 300000 pieces of the single use of plastic in month of this is at the full
capacity. There is an estimation consists 20000 plastic water bottles, 49765 plastic amenities and
also 2166693 pieces of the plastic for beverage and food operations consisting storage bags,
plastic wrap and latex gloves (Eshun and Appiah, 2018).