According to Automatic Vending, a new Market Report published by market intelligence provider, Key Note, sales from automatic vending machines in the UK fell by 1% in 2013.
According to Key Note, the market is dominated by refreshment vending, which account for 84% of the total sales through vending machines in the UK in 2013. The remaining 16% of revenue was generated via the sale of other products from vending machines, including stamps, condoms, stationery, and computer accessories, among other goods.
Hot beverages, such as tea, coffee and hot chocolate, are the most vended products in the UK. Branded cold drinks (e.g. Coca-Cola and Sprite) and snacks (including chocolate, potato crisps, sweets and cereal bars) are also popular vended refreshment products.
Vending machines offering healthy food and drink have become increasing popular over the last decade — in part as a result of the ban on junk food via school vending machines in 2005 — in particular within schools, hospitals, universities and recreational institutions, while vending machines featuring new technologies, such as touchscreen features, have also become available in more recent years.
Key Note predicts that the UK automatic vending market will grow by 0.5% in 2014.
