The growing awareness of environment issues is posing a new challenge for vending machine manufacturers and sellers. Are their products environment-friendly? Will users reduce the usage of these machines because of a perception that these machines are contributing to further damage to our environment?

To address the first question, vending machine manufacturers and suppliers are doing everything they can to ensure fears are allayed. Things like total power consumption and in fact, power savings are now very much among their top selling propositions. They are trying to incorporate "environment-friendliness" is incorporated into the all the steps of the vending process- the materials used for the machine, the power consumed and the materials in which drinks are dispensed.

One of the key arguments from the anit-vending machine front is the amount of power wasted by vending machines, that are used for only limited times during the day. In this regard, vending machine operators have a bigger role to play than suppliers and manufacturers of these machines. If vending machine operators were to become more discreet and optimize their use, the overall benefits would undoubtedly tilt the balance in favour of these machines.

A new market research report titled the World Vending Machines Market is now available on Reportlinker.com.

This market research report presents an analysis of the worldwide market for vending machines and analyzes various types of vending machines including beverage vending machines. Geographically, the report presents analysis of Europe, US, Canada, Japan and rest of the world, with annual forecasts up to 2015.

Profiles of about 170 vending machine companies are provided in the report.

According to a news report in AMOnline.com, the European Vending Association (EVA) will be participating at the Green Week exhibition to be held in Brussels, Belgium from June 12-15.

By participating at the event, the EVA hopes to demonstrate the proactive nature of the vending industry when it comes to matters related to the environment. Many EVA members have taken and are continuing to take environment-friendly measures, and this event is seen as an opportunity to share these endeavours with other stakeholders.

 Some of the steps taken by EVA members, as listed from this news article, include:  

• Full compliance with the WVEEE and RoHS Directives;


• Adoption of an EVA protocol to measure the energy consumption of vending machines (EVA-EMP EVA-Energy Measurement Protocol);


• Recycling schemes for cups or prods;


• Increasing number of companies ISO 14001 certified or taking measures to become more environmentally-friendly;


• Investing in R&D in the areas of eco-efficiency and refrigeration;


• Paper cups or biodegradable cups as alternatives to traditional plastic cups;


• Enhancing the value of plastic cups at the end of their lifecycle;


• PET used for the packaging of soft drinks and bottled water


• Better packaging of machines to limit packaging material; use of smaller or recyclable pallets;


• LED lights are being introduced in new machines;


• Vending machines placed outdoors are now made with special glass with an isolating structure, to limit the energy and heat generated by the sun.

More information on environment-specific initiatives by the EVA can be found on their website. (www.vending-europe.eu),

 

 

 

Kafevend offers vending machines dispensing Kenco hot drinks, letting consumers enjoy the flavor through out the day. Offered in a convenient cartridge that can be selected and inserted in the coffee vending machine, all drinks retain their freshness and aroma.

 These coffee vending machines are extremely useful for offices as they offer a choice of 13 drinks including Kenco’s Roast & Ground coffees and frothy Kenco Cappio. The machines also offer the option of using the consumer’s own chinaware.

One of the key attractions of these vending machines is that they can be easily maneuvered and manually filled in. Moreover, these vending machines hardly require any maintenance and the company claims to have engineers at the site within three and half hours in the event of a malfunctioning of the vending machine.

We all know of the regular vending machines that let you put in cash or card and dispenses a drink in return. How many times does one hear of a reverse vending machine where you put in an empty drink bottle or can and in return you get a coupon for a drink or food item?

Well, thecentre:mk in Milton Keynes reportedly offers a vending machine that does exactly that-- dispensing vouchers in return for plastic bottles. The idea of such vending machines is one among several launched by the centre to "go green" ie. boost the environment-friendliness of the centre. According to the Times, which reported on the use of these reverse vending machines, "When an empty plastic bottle is inserted into the machine a voucher is dispensed, offering a free hot drink on certain food purchases. The firm also recycles polythene, coat hangers and plastic."

Now, whoever thought that vending machines would be made with such noble intentions? Anyway, we're not complaining..