In European hotels, these will soon be a thing of the past (Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

If there’s nothing you love more than stocking up on mini toiletries when visiting a new hotel (à la Ross by Friends), new rules could soon put an end to your holiday habits.

To reduce packaging waste, the European Commission plans to ban small bottles of shampoo and shower gel in hotels across the EU.

The free mini bottles that often greet us in hotel bathrooms will soon be a thing of the past.

While we’re sad to say goodbye to these adorable toiletries, we totally understand the reason for the move – as the Minis use a lot of plastic and paper.

The idea arose when the European Commission planned to reduce the EU’s carbon footprint over the next decade and make the packaging industry carbon neutral by 2050.

Without action, the EU would see a further 19% more packaging waste and 46% more plastic packaging waste by 2030, it said in a statement.

This is not limited to hygiene items either, because disposable packaging will also gain the upper hand for fruit and vegetables – in favor of recyclable and reusable packaging.

However, a launch date has not yet been announced as talks are still ongoing.

And it’s worth noting that mini toiletries will still be available duty-free and only the free in-store toiletries will be phased out.