Here at Vending Solutions we have been around long enough to see just about any type of vending machine including a dog wash machine to a live bait machine markets-in-everything-live-bait-vending.html

This latest vending head-scratcher is from GRAFFOMAT. It is a glass front vending machine that sells graffiti supplies.

The following is from the company’s website:

“GRAFFOMAT is entering the market with a new state of the art graffiti supply vending machine!

GRAFFOMAT will supply you with all of your favorite state of the art graffiti supplies such as markers, caps, gloves, and everything else that the graffiti writer needs. Including ski masks!

Forget about the times where you would run out of paint in the middle of the night and there would be nothing you could do about it. Graffomat is here for you 24 hours a day, located easily accessible on almost every street corner in your neighborhood.”

First of all, what city is going to allow these machines to be sold on “ever street corner?”  Also,  the companies who own or allow the machines on their premesis may get hit from lawsuits for aiding criminal activity. We fully support the arts at our company and recognize that graffiti is a form of art when it’s done without breaking the law. Conversely, maybe law enforcement will like the machines so they can just sit and wait to pounce on potential vandals!

From a practicality standpoint, does anyone actually think that a glass front vending machine selling spray paint and ski masks to people will not be vandalized itself?

It will be interesting to see how profitable these machines are after they’re placed “on almost every street corner [..]” but we aren’t holding our breath for that to ever happen!

Facility Blog is reporting that a new type of vending machine is being manufactured by Tomra Systems ASA that reverses the traditional vending concept.

The machine is meant to encourage recycling in facilities such as health care facilities, large offices, educational institutions and other organizations that typically generate a lot of waste.  The UNO is essentially a vending machine in reverse.  The user inserts recyclable material such as aluminum cans, glass bottles or other containers into the machine.  The vending machine will then sort the items by container type.

Additionally, the machine can be set up to encourage recycling by printing coupons for discounts when a user recycles something in the machine.

The UNO is meant to be an improvement over a traditional recycling bin that can generate waste or unwanted bugs.

Although there are some facilities using the machines, a couple Dunkin Donuts locations and a hospital in New Haven, CT, it’s our opinion that we probably will not see a large number of these machines since they likely cost thousands of dollars.  It’s pretty hard to justify the expense when a regular recycling receptacle cost closer to $30.

Just for fun, below is a list of the top five videos featuring vending machines that we have compiled here at Vending Solutions.  Most of the videos were found via our twitter account (follow us @VendingSolution).   There are a variety of machines in the videos including a Coke machine, Pepsi machine, crane machine, finger print reading machine, and also a bottled water machine (I would not recommend drinking any of the bottles of water though!)

Thankfully none of the machines in these videos were placed at any of our clients’ locations!

Here are the videos in no particular order:

1.  This first video shows a poor Coke machine being dragged down the highway while being chased by the police!

2.  This next video shows a little girl climbing all the way inside of a crane amusement machine! 

3.  Here is a Pepsi machine that has more than soda products inside! 

4.  Here is a soda vending machine where you can buy a soda simply by placing your hand on it!

5.  This clip is from a UNICEF campaign to raise awareness about drinking water quality in developing countries.

Bonus Video!  In case you missed this crazy Coke machine in our previous post, here it is again!

These are a few vending videos that we found.  Does anyone else have other funny, strange or neat videos that we may have missed?

AvioNews is reporting that European airline, Ryanair, will be installing vending machines on its airplanes to cut the number of flight attendants on each flight from four to two.  Ryanair will install the vending machines in phases starting in June of this year.

Some of the products expected in the machines are smokeless cigarettes, hot and cold beverages, snacks, sandwiches, ice-cream and even condoms. 

Click here for full article.

The Better Business Bureau listed the top complaints logged in Western Washington, Alaska and Oregon for 2009.  Interestingly, many of the top complaints were for business types that were also listed on the top 20 inquiries in the same post on their website. What is the number one business for complaints?  Cellular telephone service and supplies.  Internet and computer businesses make up 4 of the top spots followed by automotive related companies.

The top twenty complaints logged in Western Washington, Alaska and Oregon for 2009:

1. Cellular Telephone Service & Supplies
2. Computers Software & Service
3. Internet Services
4. Internet Shopping
5. Auto Dealers – New Cars
6. Computer Software Publishers & Developers
7. Searchers of Records
8. Collection Agencies
9. Travel Agencies & Bureaus
10. Auto Dealers – Used Cars
11. Auto Repair & Service
12. Banks
13. Television – Cable, CATV & Satellite 
14. Property Management 
15. Telephone Communications
16. Furniture – Retail
17. Apartments
18. Health Clubs
19. Wholesalers & Distributors
20. Games & Supplies

The Associated Press is reporting that the recent decision by a high school in Keplero, Rome to place condom vending machines has raised the ire of the Catholic Church.

This is the first school in Italy to install vending machines carrying condoms in a school; other European countries including Belgium, Britian, Germany, France, and the Netherlands allow condom vending machines in their schools.

According to the article, France has condom vending in ninety-six percent of their public and private schools receiving public funding.

Opponents in Italy say that the installation of the machines will encourage youths to have sex. Cardinal Agostino Vallini, the pope’s vicar for Rome, said the decision trivialized sex. He said it “cannot be approved by Rome’s ecclesiastical community or by Christian families who are seriously concerned with the education of their children.”

Despite protests from the Vatican, the school will proceed with installation of the condom machines at the school. “This is not about stimulating the use of condoms or intercourse,” Antonio Panaccione, the school headmaster, told The Associated Press. “On the contrary, it’s about prevention and education.”

Click here to read the full article.

According to Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a joint initiative of the American Heart Association and William J. Clinton Foundation, The Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo, Dr Pepper Snapple Group and their bottlers have fulfilled their commitment to high calorie soft drinks from schools and replace them with lower-calorie or smaller sized beverages.

The report shows an 88% reduction in beverage calories delivered to schools from 2004 to the end of 2009. Additionally, deliveries of full-calorie drinks have declined 95% as well during the same time period.

Most of the full-calorie sodas have been replaced with other beverages. The guidelines stipulate that 100% juice, bottled water and low-fat milk are permitted in elementary and middle schools. High schools are allowed additional selections such as diet drinks, sports drinks that fall under a calorie limit and flavored waters and teas.

In some global vending news, a four-year-old New Zealand boy got his arm caught in the door of a Coca-Cola vending machine. While the article did not mention why the boy was trying to reach inside (his arm was up to his elbow inside), it’s probably safe to assume he was trying to help himself to a free soda. A Coca-Cola representative did bring a key but the boy’s arm was wedged so badly that the firemen had to smash the glass on the front of the machine to free him.

The glass front machines are very expensive so I bet the Coke rep wasn’t happy about that! The article was originally posted by nzhearald.

Coca-Cola has come up with a new “viral” video that shows the Coke machine vending out items such as a pizza, balloon animal, giant sub sandwich, flowers and more. The machine is called Coke’s “Happiness Machine” and it was placed on a college campus.

Obviously there is a person inside of the machine handing this stuff out. It was created by Definition6 and is very entertaining to watch.

Some of the video is painful to watch from a vending service provider standpoint since the machine starts to vend out a bunch of sodas with a single vend. This is a very real problem when a machine has a mechanical issue and is known in the industry as “jackpotting.” Jackpotting can lead to an unhappy customer because the soda machine may become jammed and emptied of sodas very quickly!

Today Costco announced that it will no longer stock Coca-Cola products in its stores.  Costco does not plan to remove existing Coke products from their stores but is not placing any more orders unless an ongoing price dispute is resolved.

While this may not be a big deal for the average consumer, vending machine operators may be adversely affected by the move.  Many business owners supply their vending machines with products from warehouse retailers such as Sam’s Club and Costco.  However, this does not mean that vending companies will no longer be able to stock Coke sodas.  The sodas are available in bulk from Coca-Cola and other retailers as well.

Costco posted notices in stores and on its website  saying, “Costco is committed to carrying name brand merchandise at the best possible prices. At this time, Coca-Cola has not provided Costco with competitive pricing so that we may pass along the value our members deserve.”

It is not immediately clear which company will blink first in this latest standoff but it should be resolved fairly quickly.