One of the biggest things the average person can do to avoid the SARS-CoV-2 virus is to maintain strict social distancing. Shops are offering curbside service, and mobile delivery apps have introduced “contactless” delivery, but there's another set of tools that can help people conduct business while staying safely distant: vending machines.
The CDC recommends staying at least six feet away from people outside of one's household, but this isn't a perfect solution. It's not always possible to maintain that distance, and six feet is really a minimum—ideally, it's better to stay even farther apart. This can make shopping a nightmare, which has left customers looking for a safer, cleaner alternative. Vending machine sales are up nearly across the board, and more and more companies are turning to machines as a way to get their products to the public.
In areas where cafeterias are closed and hospital staff are working long, late hours, machines that sell healthy meals have become virtually indispensable. Farmer's Fridge, a company that sells prepackaged salads and wraps, saw a drop in sales in places like airports and office buildings. In hospitals, however, their business doubled.
This is indicative of a continuing shift in the role that vending machines play in people's lives. In the past, vending machines—even those in hospitals—were usually stocked with candy, chips, soda, and other grab-and-go snacks. Now, people need a way to safely get a meal, and snacks alone won't fit the bill. In some cases, a hospital vending machine may be a person's only way to eat for an entire day. Companies like Farmer's Fridge provide filling, healthy meals in places where restaurants and cafeterias can't.
Micro markets and pop-up shops give people a way to get the things they need without having to go through a crowded store, but they suffer from one key problem: People can change their minds.
Under normal circumstances, this is great for customers. They can look at an item, read the label, and change their mind without having to spend money. Unfortunately, handling items without purchasing them can potentially contribute to COVID-19—while surfaces aren't a major mode of transmission, it is possible to pick up the virus from handling a contaminated object and then touching the eyes, nose, or mouth.
Vending machines don't give customers the ability to read labels before purchasing, but it also doesn't allow them to put items back after they've touched them. This effectively eliminates contaminated items as a potential vector of infection. Using a payment app also eliminates having to handle cash.
Even though it's indisputably safer to stay closed, businesses still need to earn money and people still need to buy things. Vending machines can provide a new way to buy and sell a wide variety goods with minimal human contact. In April, machines in France began selling masks and other PPE, and New York soon followed suit. Poland's two largest cities are also outfitted with mask-dispensing kiosks. An arcade owner in the United Kingdom emptied out old claw machines, and re-stocked them with items like hand sanitizer and toilet paper.
McCann’s Local Meats in Rochester, New York provides its customers with a refrigerated vending machine packed with fresh meat and sides, like potato salad and baked beans. Another company, Thorneybank Farm Shop, allows customers to buy anything they could get at a farm stand. Cheese, whole chickens, fresh-baked shortbread, eggs, fruit, and vegetables sit in individual glass-front cabinets. Customers punch in a number, pay at the kiosk, and the door opens to allow them to pick up their selection. Due to the pandemic, sales have quintupled as people look for new, more hygienic ways to shop.
Vending machines are also being used to help out those who can't pay. With surging unemployment around the world, many have been left jobless, homeless, and hungry. Hoang Tuan Anh, an entrepreneur in Ho chi Minh City, Vietnam, set up a machine that dispenses free 3lb bags of rice. Many of the machine's customers are those who once made money at cash-in-hand jobs that involved a lot of person-to-person contact, like housekeepers. This kiosk gives them a way to access food at no cost, 24 hours a day.
Business owners want to stay open, but it often isn't feasible. Even if they open their doors, there's always the risk of an outbreak that could force them to close again. Even if every business could afford to stay closed, customers still need ways to access groceries, meals, and household goods. Vending machines are helping to bridge the gap between business and customer, providing a safe, efficient way for people to shop and protect themselves at the same time.
