Disposable Toiletries Market Trends

Disposable Toiletries Market Overview

Global Disposable Toiletries Market size is estimated at USD 3018.37 million in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 4583.63 million by 2033 at a 4.7% CAGR.

The disposable toiletries market is experiencing substantial global demand, driven by increased consumer awareness of hygiene and convenience. Disposable toiletries—such as single-use toothbrushes, toothpaste sachets, shampoo sachets, shower gel pods, and disposable flip-flops—are extensively used in travel, hospitality, and medical sectors. Over 3.2 billion hotel stays in 2023 globally resulted in the consumption of more than 9 billion units of disposable toiletries. These products are designed for one-time use, ensuring sanitary conditions, especially in public and commercial settings.

The market benefits from rising travel activity, with over 1.4 billion international tourist arrivals recorded in 2023. Additionally, over 76% of hotels worldwide now provide disposable toiletries as part of their guest amenities. Airline and cruise industries contributed to the consumption of over 700 million toiletry kits in the last year. Furthermore, disposable toiletries are gaining popularity in emergency preparedness kits and among campers, backpackers, and military personnel. Environmental concerns around plastic waste are also pushing manufacturers to adopt biodegradable materials, with over 21% of the global disposable toiletries now made from plant-based or compostable packaging. The market continues to evolve with packaging innovations, premium travel kits, and region-specific product preferences.

Key Findings

Top Driver reason: Growing demand from the hospitality and travel industry, which utilized over 9 billion units in 2023 alone.

Top Country/Region: Asia-Pacific leads in volume consumption, with China and India collectively accounting for more than 36% of global usage.

Top Segment: Toothbrushes dominate with over 27% of the global disposable toiletries volume share in 2024.

Disposable Toiletries Market Trends

Consumer behavior is shifting toward hygiene-centric habits, leading to increased usage of disposable toiletries in everyday and travel applications. In 2024, over 62% of business travelers indicated a preference for hotels offering eco-friendly disposable toiletries, up from 48% in 2022. This preference is pushing companies to reformulate products with natural ingredients and eco-conscious packaging.

Hospitality chains have boosted the procurement of biodegradable toiletries. As of 2024, 28% of hotel groups in North America have switched to 100% compostable packaging for disposable toiletries, marking a 14% increase from 2021. In Europe, single-dose shampoo sachets accounted for over 600 million units sold, reflecting a surge in short-stay bookings through services like homestays and hostels.

There’s also a notable rise in private-label disposable toiletries, with supermarket chains and pharmacy brands launching their travel kits. These accounted for over 18% of the disposable toiletry market share in volume terms by mid-2024. Meanwhile, single-use flip-flops have become increasingly popular in spa and poolside hotel amenities, with over 110 million pairs distributed annually across global resorts.

Innovation remains a central trend. The introduction of waterless toothpaste tablets, dissolvable soap sheets, and compact shampoo pods are addressing portability and zero-waste concerns. Over 30 brands introduced new eco-packaging solutions in 2023, including compressed airless dispensers and refillable sachets, shifting the market dynamics toward sustainability.

Disposable Toiletries Market Dynamics

DRIVER

Growth in Hospitality and Tourism Sector

The travel and tourism industry has significantly accelerated demand for disposable toiletries. In 2023, over 1.4 billion international tourist arrivals triggered the procurement of more than 9 billion disposable toiletry items by hotels, hostels, and lodges. Furthermore, cruise liners issued over 120 million amenity kits, while airlines distributed over 500 million units worldwide. Disposable toiletries have become integral to traveler experience, with 84% of hotels in major tourist destinations reporting customer preference for individually packaged hygiene products. This large-scale demand, especially from Asia-Pacific and Europe, continues to propel growth in both high-end and budget product segments.

RESTRAINT

Environmental Impact of Plastic Waste

A major challenge for the disposable toiletries market is managing environmental concerns. It is estimated that over 2.6 billion plastic-based disposable toiletry units ended up in landfills in 2023. Regulations in the EU and some North American regions now restrict the use of single-use plastics, which has forced manufacturers to revise product formulations. As of early 2024, 18 countries have enacted partial bans or restrictions on plastic-based disposable toiletries in hospitality, impacting over 450 million units annually. These policy changes are placing pressure on manufacturers to adopt sustainable packaging, which can lead to higher production costs.

OPPORTUNITY

Rise of Eco-friendly and Travel-ready Innovations

As consumer preferences tilt toward sustainable travel, eco-friendly disposable toiletries are seeing rising adoption. In 2024, plant-based packaging usage rose to over 21% in global product offerings. Companies are leveraging innovations such as dissolvable film packaging, refillable capsules, and biodegradable ingredients. This shift is opening opportunities in premium hotel chains, corporate travel kits, and adventure tourism, which combined used over 1.2 billion eco-friendly units in the last year. There’s also potential in government and NGO-funded disaster relief kits, where compact and safe-to-dispose toiletries are vital.

CHALLENGE

Rising Material and Transportation Costs

Global logistics disruptions and inflationary pressures have significantly affected the cost of raw materials such as polyethylene and polypropylene, used in over 67% of disposable toiletries packaging. Shipping costs from manufacturing hubs in Asia to North America rose by over 22% between 2022 and 2024. Additionally, bio-based packaging materials cost between 30–45% more than traditional plastics, creating cost barriers for smaller brands. Companies are navigating this challenge by reducing pack sizes, exploring local manufacturing partnerships, and diversifying sourcing strategies.

Disposable Toiletries Market Segmentation

The disposable toiletries market is segmented by type and application. Type-based segmentation includes toothpaste, toothbrush, flip flops, shampoo cream, and shower gel. Application-based segmentation covers commercial and home use. Commercial usage dominates with more than 73% volume share, driven by hospitality and travel sectors. Meanwhile, home usage is growing with increasing demand for travel kits, gym packs, and emergency toiletry bundles.

By Type

Toothpaste: Single-use toothpaste sachets were used over 3.8 billion times globally in 2023, predominantly in airline kits and hotel packages. Toothpaste formats now include gel sachets, powder pods, and dissolvable tablets. High portability and hygienic storage make them ideal for medical and emergency use.
Toothbrush: Disposable toothbrushes led the type segment, making up over 27% of total disposable toiletries volume. In 2023 alone, more than 4.2 billion units were distributed by hospitality chains and airlines. Soft-bristled variants with biodegradable handles are increasingly replacing plastic designs, especially in Europe.
Flip Flops: Over 110 million pairs of disposable flip flops were used globally in hotels, spas, and swimming pool facilities. These are especially popular in tropical resorts, cruise liners, and spas, where hygiene standards require single-use footgear.
Shampoo Cream: Shampoo sachets are common in guest amenities. Over 2.1 billion single-use shampoo packs were used in 2023 across hotels and short-stay rentals. Rising demand for sulfate-free, organic, and fragrance-customizable formulas is influencing product variety.
Shower Gel: Shower gel sachets account for over 1.9 billion units distributed in 2023. Commonly bundled with shampoo, these products are expanding into scented and sensitive-skin variants, especially for boutique hotels and luxury kits.

By Application

Commercial: Commercial settings used over 8.6 billion units in 2023, covering hotels, airlines, resorts, spas, and healthcare facilities. Brands are offering customized amenity kits for different service levels and guest types.
Home: Home usage is growing, with over 1.2 billion units sold through retail channels in 2023. These include travel-sized toiletries, gym bags, and on-the-go kits. Consumer demand for hygienic and portable solutions drives this segment.

Disposable Toiletries Market Regional Outlook

Global demand for disposable toiletries varies significantly across regions. Each region’s unique hospitality, hygiene standards, and regulatory framework influence market behavior.

North America

North America accounted for over 2.6 billion units consumed in 2023. The U.S. alone saw over 1.5 billion units distributed across hotels, airlines, and hospitals. The region is increasingly adopting sustainable packaging, with over 30% of disposable toiletries now made using biodegradable components.

Europe

Europe distributed more than 2.3 billion units, with France, Germany, and the UK leading demand. Regulatory actions on plastic use are pushing a transition toward compostable packaging. Over 400 million units were distributed in hostels and boutique hotels in 2023 alone.

Asia-Pacific

Asia-Pacific is the leading region in terms of volume, consuming over 4.1 billion units in 2023. China and India contributed to 2.6 billion units collectively. Japan and South Korea are driving innovation in eco-friendly sachets and tablet formats.

Middle East & Africa

Over 950 million units were used in the Middle East & Africa in 2023. Hospitality investments in the UAE and Saudi Arabia led to the distribution of over 320 million units. South Africa and Egypt saw rising demand from eco-tourism and medical tourism hubs.

List of Top Disposable Toiletries Market Companies

P&G
Colgate-Palmolive
Church & Dwight
OraLine
OSNACH
Ningbo Zhujiang
Denttabs
Bite Toothpaste Bits
Archtek
Tianya Tourist Supplies Factory

Top Two Companies With highest share

P&G: Distributed over 1.2 billion disposable toiletries in 2023 globally, with strong market presence in North America and Asia-Pacific.

Colgate-Palmolive: Sold over 950 million units, mainly toothbrushes and toothpaste kits to the hospitality sector.

Investment Analysis and Opportunities

The disposable toiletries market is attracting considerable investment across manufacturing, sustainability innovation, and product diversification. In 2023, over 72 new manufacturing facilities began operations globally, adding a combined annual production capacity of 1.8 billion units. Asia-Pacific accounted for more than 56% of these expansions, particularly in China, India, and Vietnam, due to cost-effective labor and proximity to raw material sources.

Multinational corporations and private equity groups have started acquiring niche eco-friendly toiletry brands. In 2023, six acquisitions were recorded in this space, with the acquiring companies aiming to integrate biodegradable or waterless innovations into their mainstream product lines. Investments in automated filling and packaging machinery have grown, with over 430 companies upgrading their production lines to support single-dose packaging formats, aiming to increase throughput by over 22% year-over-year.

The home segment also saw investment growth, particularly in retail travel kits and e-commerce bundled sales. More than 1,100 new SKUs were introduced in the global retail market in 2023, many of which focused on convenience, natural ingredients, and compact packaging. This contributed to a 17% rise in unit sales in the household application market.

Digital distribution has emerged as a promising investment avenue. Over 18% of disposable toiletry sales in 2023 occurred via online platforms. Direct-to-consumer brands are targeting urban travelers, gyms, and remote workers with subscription-based models. These platforms saw an increase in average order size from 6.2 units in 2022 to 8.5 units in 2024.

New Product Development

Innovation is central to the evolving landscape of the disposable toiletries market. In 2023–2024, over 520 new product variants were launched across global markets, introducing novel formats and sustainable materials. One of the most impactful developments is the shift toward waterless and solid formats. Over 140 brands have launched toothpaste tablets, which eliminate the need for plastic tubes. These tablets now account for 3.6% of the total disposable toothpaste segment.

Single-use shampoo and body wash pods made from seaweed-derived film are gaining popularity, particularly in Europe and North America. More than 85 million such pods were sold in 2023 alone, offering biodegradable, zero-waste alternatives to plastic sachets. Some luxury hotel chains have begun piloting dissolvable sachets for soap and lotion to reduce disposal waste. One prominent brand reported a 19% reduction in packaging waste after switching to this innovation.

Refillable and modular toiletry systems are also being explored. A few brands introduced capsule-based dispensers that can be used in hotels but stocked with biodegradable pods, thereby combining hygiene with reduced waste. Over 270 boutique hotels in Asia and Europe adopted refillable pod systems during 2023, reducing their single-use plastic consumption by more than 30 million units.

Flip-flops made from compressed plant fiber and cork emerged as another area of new product development. These materials are being used in spas and hotels as eco-conscious alternatives to traditional rubber or EVA foam. Over 20 million pairs of sustainable disposable flip-flops were distributed in 2023 globally.

Five Recent Developments

P&G: launched waterless shampoo pods in early 2023, reporting sales of over 36 million units globally in the first year.
Colgate-Palmolive: expanded its biodegradable toothpaste sachet line to 12 new countries, adding 220 million units to its distribution in 2023.
Denttabs: introduced a recyclable packaging system for its toothpaste tablets, reducing packaging weight by 45% and improving transport efficiency.
Bite Toothpaste Bits: partnered with a global airline to provide solid toothpaste tablets in business class kits, reaching over 14 million passengers in 2024.
Church & Dwight: added hypoallergenic shampoo sachets to its travel kits, securing contracts with over 100 hospital chains across North America.

Report Coverage of Disposable Toiletries Market

This report on the disposable toiletries market offers a comprehensive overview of the industry's current state, segment dynamics, regional performance, and future opportunities. Covering a global perspective, the report spans North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East & Africa, analyzing both commercial and household demand patterns across product categories.

Each product type—ranging from disposable toothpaste and toothbrushes to flip flops, shampoo cream, and shower gel—has been evaluated on parameters such as volume usage, material innovation, consumer preferences, and distribution channels. The report also explores how major shifts in tourism, regulatory changes, and sustainability trends are influencing demand.

Detailed segmentation highlights the dominance of the commercial sector, which consumed more than 8.6 billion units globally in 2023, compared to 1.2 billion units in the home-use segment. The report also documents the transition from plastic-based to eco-friendly materials, with biodegradable alternatives accounting for 21% of the product mix in 2024.

Regional coverage examines the impact of regulatory policies in Europe, rising tourism in Asia-Pacific, eco-tourism growth in the Middle East & Africa, and the role of innovation and sustainability in North America. The analysis identifies key countries driving growth and their contribution to global volume consumption.

Company analysis features key players such as P&G and Colgate-Palmolive, noting their market shares and contributions to innovation. The report documents over 520 product launches from 2023–2024, along with over 1,100 new SKUs introduced in retail and e-commerce. It also highlights investments in manufacturing, packaging automation, and sustainable raw materials.