Beverage makers including Kirin, Suntory, and Dydo have begun overhauling their vending machine businesses, which face headwinds from consumers’ growing thrift and a shortage of staff to restock machines. On 5ch, the view that “what we want from vending machines isn’t novelty — it’s convenience, selection, and price” drew wide support, while posters also swapped relatable stories about disappointing canned coffee, vanishing trash cans, and the decline of alcohol and cigarette vending machines.
Published 8/22 (Sat) 11:10
Newswitch
Beverage makers are rebuilding their vending machine businesses. Kirin Beverage is adding entertainment elements to its machines to boost awareness of its health drinks for kids. Suntory set up vending machines dedicated solely to non-alcoholic beverages for a limited time. Dydo Drinco, which gets 90% of its sales through vending machine channels, has refreshed its brand logo and other elements to win over younger customers. The vending machine business faces headwinds from consumers’ growing thrift and a shortage of workers to restock machines. Each company is rethinking vending machines — a crucial point of contact with consumers — as they work to create new value. (Editorial writer: Yumiko Egami)
Source: news.yahoo.co.jp / Original article here
What would you actually be glad to find sold in a vending machine?
Re: #4
Maybe stuff that's awkward for middle/high school boys to buy in a store?
Maybe stuff that's awkward for middle/high school boys to buy in a store?
Re: #4
Hamburgers and corned beef sandwiches
Hamburgers and corned beef sandwiches
What I want from a vending machine isn't fun or added value.
Convenience, selection, price.
That's it.
Convenience, selection, price.
That's it.
Re: #12
Still, when those four digital reels spin around and line up for a 'one more can, free!' — that still gets me excited even past 40.
Still, when those four digital reels spin around and line up for a 'one more can, free!' — that still gets me excited even past 40.
Re: #42
I think I've won it once or twice, but it always hits at the moment you'd least expect it — right when you don't even want another one.
I think I've won it once or twice, but it always hits at the moment you'd least expect it — right when you don't even want another one.
Re: #42
I won it three times in one week once.
In the 50 years since, I've won it exactly once.
I won it three times in one week once.
In the 50 years since, I've won it exactly once.
Chill it colder! Ice-cold, dammit.
Re: #16
Vending machines these days are energy-saving, so drinks aren't ice-cold anymore — not worth paying extra just for that.
Vending machines these days are energy-saving, so drinks aren't ice-cold anymore — not worth paying extra just for that.
Re: #16
Wonder if this was just a countryside 7-Eleven thing.
Can't remember how many years ago now, but a regional 7-Eleven had a dedicated in-store vending machine selling Coca-Cola and Sprite.
Those bottles were nice and cold — I liked that.
It was one of those machines where you used a special card to dispense the bottle.
Wonder if this was just a countryside 7-Eleven thing.
Can't remember how many years ago now, but a regional 7-Eleven had a dedicated in-store vending machine selling Coca-Cola and Sprite.
Those bottles were nice and cold — I liked that.
It was one of those machines where you used a special card to dispense the bottle.
What's the deal with a non-alcohol-only vending machine?
Machines that actually sell alcohol are already far rarer.
Feels like I've only ever seen those at old mom-and-pop liquor shops and hotels.
Machines that actually sell alcohol are already far rarer.
Feels like I've only ever seen those at old mom-and-pop liquor shops and hotels.
Re: #30
Alcohol vending machines are basically an endangered species at this point — time to update from the Showa era.
Same goes for cigarette machines, though those got a bit of a reprieve thanks to Taspo (the age-verification IC card) — but they're endangered too now… and the reason isn't what you'd guess: it's simply that these are age-restricted products. Alcohol is never coming back to vending machines.
Alcohol vending machines are basically an endangered species at this point — time to update from the Showa era.
Same goes for cigarette machines, though those got a bit of a reprieve thanks to Taspo (the age-verification IC card) — but they're endangered too now… and the reason isn't what you'd guess: it's simply that these are age-restricted products. Alcohol is never coming back to vending machines.
150 yen is actually on the cheap end now.
180 or 190 yen is becoming the norm.
At a supermarket or drugstore it's about 100 yen.
Even convenience stores sell it for around 130.
Honestly the only people still buying from vending machines are construction workers.
They just can't leave the site, so they're stuck buying it.
180 or 190 yen is becoming the norm.
At a supermarket or drugstore it's about 100 yen.
Even convenience stores sell it for around 130.
Honestly the only people still buying from vending machines are construction workers.
They just can't leave the site, so they're stuck buying it.
Re: #31
Construction sites usually have a machine placed right there for exactly that.
Construction sites usually have a machine placed right there for exactly that.
Re: #31
When I'm out on rounds for work, I sometimes buy canned coffee or a bottled drink at a convenience store downtown.
And here's the thing —
once, while still carrying a bottled drink I'd bought earlier, I walked into a different convenience store to buy something else, and they nearly tried to charge me for the bottle I was already carrying.
Now whenever I'm walking around downtown, I make sure to get a security tape put on it (the strip stores use to show a drink wasn't shoplifted).
When I'm out on rounds for work, I sometimes buy canned coffee or a bottled drink at a convenience store downtown.
And here's the thing —
once, while still carrying a bottled drink I'd bought earlier, I walked into a different convenience store to buy something else, and they nearly tried to charge me for the bottle I was already carrying.
Now whenever I'm walking around downtown, I make sure to get a security tape put on it (the strip stores use to show a drink wasn't shoplifted).
Haven't bought a drink from a vending machine in years now.
Convenience stores are just so much cheaper.
Convenience stores are just so much cheaper.
Re: #33
Depends on your area and where you go.
You probably don't have a 100-yen coffee vending machine near you, right?
Out in the countryside there are 100-yen machines along the roadside (red ones where I'm from).
I sometimes buy canned coffee there, or the 150-yen bottled coffee drinks.
The bottled ones especially — I grab one before heading to pachinko.
Depends on your area and where you go.
You probably don't have a 100-yen coffee vending machine near you, right?
Out in the countryside there are 100-yen machines along the roadside (red ones where I'm from).
I sometimes buy canned coffee there, or the 150-yen bottled coffee drinks.
The bottled ones especially — I grab one before heading to pachinko.
Who are non-alcoholic drinks even for, and why do they exist?
If you want the non-alcoholic version, just drink real alcohol.
And if you can't drink for some reason, just have a soft drink.
To me they're a total mystery beverage.
If you want the non-alcoholic version, just drink real alcohol.
And if you can't drink for some reason, just have a soft drink.
To me they're a total mystery beverage.
Re: #36
Sometimes you want the taste but don't want to actually get drunk.
Sometimes you want the taste but don't want to actually get drunk.
> This is the company's first time installing a non-alcoholic beverage vending machine in a public space.
We barely see machines that sell alcohol in the first place, so what's the big deal here?
If all they did was roll out a model that's simply banned from stocking alcohol, that's just the person in charge being clueless.
If you're going to tout this as a 'first,' at least tell us what percentage of existing vending machines actually carry alcohol.
We barely see machines that sell alcohol in the first place, so what's the big deal here?
If all they did was roll out a model that's simply banned from stocking alcohol, that's just the person in charge being clueless.
If you're going to tout this as a 'first,' at least tell us what percentage of existing vending machines actually carry alcohol.
Re: #40
Release of "Status of Alcohol Vending Machine Installations" (as of April 1, 2025 [Reiwa 7])
https://www.nta.go.jp/taxes/sake/miseinen/jihanki2025/01.htm
Release of "Status of Alcohol Vending Machine Installations" (as of April 1, 2025 [Reiwa 7])
https://www.nta.go.jp/taxes/sake/miseinen/jihanki2025/01.htm
Coca-Cola vending machines have started stocking Monster Energy.
Monster Energy is actually sold by Asahi Soft Drinks,
and Coca-Cola and Asahi are rivals in the vending machine business —
yet somehow they're teaming up.
And sure enough, you'll find Coca-Cola products in Asahi's vending machines too.
Monster Energy is actually sold by Asahi Soft Drinks,
and Coca-Cola and Asahi are rivals in the vending machine business —
yet somehow they're teaming up.
And sure enough, you'll find Coca-Cola products in Asahi's vending machines too.
Re: #59
That kind of thing gets decided by the distributor or whoever installed the machine.
Apparently if you're friendly with them, you can request whatever you like within reason.
That kind of thing gets decided by the distributor or whoever installed the machine.
Apparently if you're friendly with them, you can request whatever you like within reason.
Re: #59
I used to know the inside story — Asahi's own soft drink lineup is small, so it doesn't really compete.
For alcohol like beer, there's sometimes a directive from Asahi Beer's parent company, sometimes not.
Monster is similar in that Asahi acts more like an import agent for it.
No idea if that's still how it works now, though.
I used to know the inside story — Asahi's own soft drink lineup is small, so it doesn't really compete.
For alcohol like beer, there's sometimes a directive from Asahi Beer's parent company, sometimes not.
Monster is similar in that Asahi acts more like an import agent for it.
No idea if that's still how it works now, though.
There's a convenience store right there —
no point paying more at a vending machine.
no point paying more at a vending machine.
Re: #69
There's a supermarket right there —
no point paying more at a convenience store.
There's a supermarket right there —
no point paying more at a convenience store.
Vending machine near my place. Hard to read the prices because of the lighting, but almost everything's 100 yen. Pretty solid lineup, right?
I've got two of those slightly pricey foreign-made bottle-style water flasks.
No rubber gasket, but they never leak at all.
I fill them with water and carry them around lol.
Been using them for over 10 years now.
No rubber gasket, but they never leak at all.
I fill them with water and carry them around lol.
Been using them for over 10 years now.
Re: #87
I keep meaning to buy one but always forget — I want one of those Nitori freezer-safe water bottles.
Usually I just freeze a 500ml PET bottle overnight and drink it during the day.
Barley tea, mostly.
I keep meaning to buy one but always forget — I want one of those Nitori freezer-safe water bottles.
Usually I just freeze a 500ml PET bottle overnight and drink it during the day.
Barley tea, mostly.
Vending machines burn through electricity, it's just not worth it.
Plus flies and wasps swarm the trash cans.
Plus flies and wasps swarm the trash cans.
Re: #113
The trash cans that used to come with vending machines have been disappearing even faster than the machines themselves.
The trash cans that used to come with vending machines have been disappearing even faster than the machines themselves.
Canned coffee tastes like ditch water or sewage.
Don't waste precious coffee beans on that stuff.
Don't waste precious coffee beans on that stuff.
Re: #122
Oh, so ditch water tastes like coffee? lol
Oh, so ditch water tastes like coffee? lol
Re: #122
Well, some of it does hit you with a nasty smell.
Though canned coffee has added flavoring in it, so it's not that bad.
Well, some of it does hit you with a nasty smell.
Though canned coffee has added flavoring in it, so it's not that bad.
Re: #122
If you swapped the contents of a can of coffee for coffee brewed by the world's best barista, would you even notice?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmyjsnr2m2U
If you swapped the contents of a can of coffee for coffee brewed by the world's best barista, would you even notice?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmyjsnr2m2U
Vending machines with no trash can should be banned.
Re: #131
That's because there are idiots who stuff their household trash into that tiny slot.
That's because there are idiots who stuff their household trash into that tiny slot.
A special-grade cursed vending machine (a nod to the "special-grade cursed object" from Jujutsu Kaisen)
There's a 1-in-8,192 chance every drink inside comes out at once (8,192 is a nod to the classic Pokémon shiny-encounter-odds meme).
Re: #140
Years ago I once had 500-yen coins come pouring out as change, like hitting the jackpot on a slot machine.
Years ago I once had 500-yen coins come pouring out as change, like hitting the jackpot on a slot machine.
*This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (News Express+) thread “Vending Machines Facing Headwinds… Can Beverage Makers Create New Value Through Various Tactics? 【Non-Alcohol-Only Vending Machines】“.
