Vending Machine Study, France

Vending machines are an original way of distributing beverages (both hot and cold) and snack products: the products are supplied via "automatic" machines that function with or without coin operation. This sector saw substantial growth in the 1990s, with activity becoming more stable during the last decade.

Competition from fast food and takeaway outlets has probably contributed to the slow-down in the number of new vending machines installed, but this form of sale remains significant in the social Foodservice (factories, offices, education...), transport and retail sectors.

At the same time, vending machine management has become an increasingly professional discipline, with 75% of vending machines managed by specialist management companies in 2010. These companies are responsible for maintaining, repairing and stocking the machines. This trends towards specialised management has gone hand-in-hand with major restructuring operations and external growth, including the emergence of national operators (e.g. Selecta and Autobar), which cater to the needs of national customers.

GIRA's research in this area aims to provide the full range of economic figures for this market:

• vending machines analysed by number of locations, distributor type and products sold
• hot beverage, packaged beverage and snack product consumption figures
• volumes of raw materials used in the preparation of hot beverages
• changes in machine management practices and the market shares of key operators
• vending machine turnover figures per location sector and per product category.

This publication is updated every three years. The latest version, published in autumn 2009, is available in five volumes.

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