Can Vending Machines be Sustainable?

Yes, vending machines can be sustainable. While every vending machine has some environmental impact, due to the products they stock and the energy they use, their footprints can be reduced by using refurbished vending machines, energy-efficient technology and stocking ethically sourced products from certified sustainable brands.

In this blog, we’ll break down exactly how vending machines can be made more sustainable, what to look for in a sustainable vending machine supplier and the challenges that still need to be addressed.

One of the most effective ways to make a vending machine sustainable has nothing to do with the machine itself but what you put inside it. Vending machines dispense hundreds of products a week, so the sourcing and packaging decisions behind them are an important thing to consider.

At Connect Vending, we work with brands who hold recognised ethical and environmental credentials such as the Fairtrade Certification, which guarantees fair pay and working conditions for the farmers, the Rainforest Alliance, which supports sustainable farming and forest protection and brands with a B Corp status, which requires companies to meet rigorous standards for social and environmental performances across their entire business. The products packaging also matters so prioritising products that come in recyclable or eco-friendly packaging significantly reduces the amount of single use waste a machine generates over its lifetime.

Refurbished vending machines are one of the simplest ways to make a vending machine sustainable. They are also more cost effective so, particularly for smaller businesses, they often make more commercial sense because refurbished vending machines are often available to lease at a reduced cost.

Leasing a refurbished vending machine extends the machines lifetime, keeping it out of the scrap pile for longer which avoids the raw materials, manufacturing energy and transport emissions involved in building a brand new vending machine. However, there will always be a time when a refurbished vending machined does come to the end of its life then its metal components can be recycled further into new products rather than being sent to landfill.

Modern vending machines are far more energy efficient than older vending machines. Smart power management allows a vending machine to automatically reduce the power it uses during the quieter hours such as overnight in an office without compromising the quality of the products inside. LED lighting is also now a standard feature of vending machines, including on the majority of the refurbished vending machines, which consume a fraction of the energy than older lighting.

Fresh food vending machines, such as the Evoca Festival, often stock products that have a shorter shelf life which can lead to food waste when items reach their use-by dates unsold. This matters more than it might seem because food sent to landfill breaks down and releases methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide, so keeping food out of the bin is a climate action as well as a social one.

Modern vending machines with telemetry give operators live data on what sells, so stock levels and product ranges can be matched to each sites demand rather than blanket restocking vending machines. Discounting items as they approach their use-by dates is another effective tactic, clearing stock that would otherwise go unsold while giving customers a better deal.

For the surplus that remains, the food is redistributed among the local community to help those in needs by partnering with charities such as Olio or local food banks. In practice, this can be as simple as volunteers collecting items nearing their dates when machines are restocked and redistributing them through the Olio app the same day.

Vending machines can absolutely be part of a sustainable workplace. By combining refurbished machines, energy-efficient technology, ethically sourced brands and responsible waste management, operators can reduce the environmental impact of vending machines significantly.

Want to make your workplace vending more sustainable? Get in touch with Connect Vending to find out how our refurbished machines and eco-friendly solutions can help.