The vending technology offering healthier choices

David Llewellyn, Chief Executive of the AVA (the Vending & Automated Retail Association), discusses the features and benefits of the latest food and drink vending machines in healthcare facilities. He explains that today’s machines use increasingly sophisticated technology to help healthcare estates teams identify the biggest-selling products, ensure rapid re-stocking, minimise waste, and ensure that patients, staff, and visitors in hospitals and other healthcare settings have a good choice of snacks, and indeed hot choices, whatever the time of day.

Hospitals and other healthcare facilities are prime locations for vending machines, providing a valuable service for patients, visitors, and staff, who need quick access to food and drink at all times of the day and night. For many years, however, the stereotype has often been that these vending machines are badly maintained, poorly stocked, and, most importantly, offer only a selection of unhealthy food and drink. This is far from ideal in a healthcare setting, either for those using the machines, or for healthcare estate managers tasked with keeping them operational.

Thankfully, that stereotype is outdated. Instead, today’s vending machines use a range of leading-edge technology to offer a service that is quick and seamless, while being able to dispense a healthier range of snacks and drinks. In this article, I’ll explore how modern technology is now coming to fill the gaps that vending once missed out on, and in turn helping to revolutionise hospital nutrition. Through the evolution of this technology, and an added emphasis on smart maintenance, we’ll see how modern vending is making life easier for healthcare estate managers, and making an active contribution to overall wellbeing.

Gone are the days when vending machines were simply devices that ate a handful of coins, and provided the user with a potentially questionable selection in return. Today’s machines are smart, secure, connected to Wi-Fi, and incredibly versatile.

One of the most significant advances has been seen in the incorporation of cashless payment systems. To this end, our AVA census revealed that 85% of pay vend machines now have cashless payment options. This shift to contactless payments has made transactions quicker and more reliable, reducing the need for staff intervention. The additional benefit of cashless systems has allowed for modern vending machines to be equipped with telemetry systems that gather data on purchasing habits and stock levels. This information is invaluable for operators and healthcare estate managers. It allows for better and more consistent stocking decisions, ensuring that popular items are always available, and reducing waste from less popular products. The data also helps with maintenance, as machines can send alerts when they need attention due to a fault with electrics or something similar.

Rise in machine use

These technological advancements have made vending more attractive to healthcare facilities. Since 2014, we’ve seen the machine base rise by 4% in healthcare, meaning that this sector accounts for 8% of the entire machine base across the UK. Vending is the all-inclusive solution for healthcare estates, and the food selections are improved as well.

One of the biggest developments in vending has been the shift towards healthier options. The vending machines of the past were filled with sugary drinks and high-fat snacks, but this is no longer the case. Vending operators are offering a wide range of nutritious choices to meet growing consumer demand for healthier foods, as well as changing legislation such as the Sugar Tax, or guidance from regulatory bodies such as the new nutrition profiles set by the Food Standards Agency in North Ireland.

We can see this most clearly in the data recorded in our most recent AVA census, where the trend for more nutritional offerings is emerging. For example, when it comes to pre-packaged cold drinks, 81% now contain less than 5% added sugar per 100 ml, a significant improvement in reducing sugar content, while with confectionery and sweets, 78% are now less than or equal to 250 kcal per item, helping to control calorie intake. Equally, 36% of savoury snacks are less than or equal to 30 g, providing healthier portion sizes for consumers.

More nutritionally balanced options

These changes demonstrate a clear shift towards offering more nutritionally balanced options in vending machines, aligning with growing consumer demand for healthier food and drink choices. Last year (2024), 49% of shoppers reported eating healthier foods, and 32% said they felt healthier than the previous year. So, as people become more health-conscious, vending machines are adapting to offer foods that support various health goals and differences, including options for improved gut health or vegan-friendly diets. For hospitals, this shift towards healthier vending is particularly important. It allows them to provide nutritious options for staff working long shifts, patients needing a quick snack, and for family and friends of patients, who may be at the hospital longer than expected.

One of the key advantages of modern vending technology for healthcare estate managers is the ease of maintenance and management. Many of today’s machines are equipped with smart tech, such as sensors that allow for effective remote monitoring of machines, reducing downtime as a result. This connectivity enables predictive maintenance, like the kind of systems already used for critical hospital equipment like HVAC systems. In practice, vending operators can spot potential problems before they occur, which means they can schedule maintenance at convenient times, and therefore reduce downtime. This proactive approach means fewer headaches for estate managers, and more reliable service for users.

Vending management software takes this a step further by using AI and automation to optimise stock levels, plan refills, and manage operator routing. This means that operators only visit machines when necessary, improving efficiency and reducing waste from unnecessary trips. The result is a vending system that largely takes care of itself, allowing healthcare estate managers to focus on more pressing priorities without worrying about empty or malfunctioning machines.

While traditional vending machines continue to improve, a new concept is gaining popularity in healthcare settings: micro-markets and Smart Markets. These retail spaces, with both cashier-operated and self-service options, combine the best of vending machines with a small convenience store layout, and are becoming increasingly popular across multiple sectors. In fact, according to the AVA census, they have seen a 37% year-on-year increase in the UK, with 660 installations now active across the country.

Micro-markets are particularly well-suited to the ’24/7′ nature of hospitals. They can offer a wider range of products than traditional vending machines, including, importantly, freshly prepared food options. During staffed hours, for example, they can provide fresh food items, while during unstaffed periods, they offer more traditional vending fare. This flexibility is crucial for a healthcare setting, where staff and visitors will need access at all hours.

Advanced PoS systems

From a technical standpoint, micro-markets use advanced point-of-sale systems that work with various payment methods. This flexibility makes them convenient for users while keeping the system simple and quick. For healthcare estate managers, micro-markets mean lower labour costs and access to real-time data on sales and stock levels. This, in turn, helps minimise waste, and ensures popular items are always available.

Looking ahead, it’s likely that micro-markets will embrace emerging technologies with AI and machine learning. These advancements are likely to enhance the capabilities of micro-markets and vending machines, allowing for more sophisticated monitoring of consumer behaviour. This data can then be used to make informed decisions about stock levels and pricing. For healthcare estate managers, this means being able to tailor their product offerings to match occupancy patterns, ensuring that staff and visitors always have access to what they need when they need it, while minimising waste and maintaining profitability.

As healthcare facilities focus more on sustainability and waste reduction — a continuous challenge for estate managers — the vending industry has made significant strides in improving its environmental impact. This aligns with the broader push for businesses to address their Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions and work towards Net Zero targets.

One of the most pressing issues is the disposal of food and drink packaging, which is a major source of waste in healthcare facilities. The vending and automated retail industry is actively working to find innovative ways to reduce waste, often in conjunction with new government schemes. A prime example is the issue of disposable coffee cups. With eight million cups of coffee served daily through vending machines in the UK alone, this represents a significant waste stream. To combat this, most large coffee machines have sensors that allow customers to use their own reusable cups. The AVA is also working closely with Defra in the formulation of the Mandatory Cup Takeback scheme — due to be implemented in early 2026. This will encourage and capture the valuable, recyclable material in paper cups to reduce the industry use of raw materials — again, helping reduce carbon impact.

Preparing for new regulations

The industry is also preparing for potential new regulations that could significantly impact waste management in vending. One such initiative is the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme, set up by Defra, which aims to shift the costs of dealing with packaging waste from taxpayers to packaging producers. Under the EPR, producers will pay the full cost of managing packaging waste, incentivising them to use less packaging and more recyclable materials.

Another important development is the potential introduction of a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). Under this system, customers would pay a refundable deposit on drink containers, which they can reclaim by returning the empty container. For healthcare estate managers, these developments in the vending industry can support broader sustainability goals. By partnering with forward-thinking vending operators, hospitals can reduce their environmental impact while still providing convenient food and drink options. As sustainability becomes an increasingly important consideration, it’s likely that compliance with schemes like the DRS may become a requirement for healthcare facilities in the future.

A healthy future

The vending industry has come a long way, especially in healthcare settings. Today’s vending solutions offer healthy options, smart technology, and improved sustainability. For healthcare estate managers, modern vending means less hassle, better service, and support for broader facility goals.

As we look to the future, we can expect even more innovations in vending technology. From further improvements in healthy offerings to more advanced data analytics, vending will continue to evolve to meet the changing needs of hospitals, staff, and patients. That will mean even greater access to nutritional, and — in many cases — fresh, food and drinks.

By embracing these new vending technologies, healthcare facilities can provide round-the-clock access to nutritious food and drinks, support staff wellbeing, enhance patient comfort, and contribute to sustainability efforts. A far cry from the poorly maintained stereotypes of the past, vending machines today have transformed into a powerful tool for improving hospital environments — and the potential for what they can offer is only growing.