Vending

Japan's beverage vending machine network at lowest level in years

Photo: AHMAD FAIZAL YAHYA - stock.adobe.com

August 20, 2026

Summarize with

Japan's beverage vending machine industry is shrinking as higher operating costs and increased retail competition erode profitability, according to a Seoul Economic Daily report. The number of machines fell from a peak of 2.47 million in 2014 to about 1.95 million in 2025, a decline of roughly 20%. The total dropped below 2 million for the first time since industry tracking began.

Annual sales per machine have fallen to about 60% of their 1996 peak. Rising ingredient, electricity, labor and maintenance costs have forced operators to raise prices, prompting some consumers to buy less expensive drinks from supermarkets and drugstores. Pokka Sapporo Food & Beverage plans to sell its vending business, while Dydo Group Holdings expects to remove 20,000 underperforming machines from its 270,000-machine network by early 2027.

Operators are testing new features to attract customers and generate interest beyond beverage sales. Kirin Beverage introduced a machine with a capsule-toy feature that dispenses an additional children's health drink after a purchase. Suntory has also demonstrated a machine that produces customized acrylic cards featuring concert, sports, anime and music imagery. Despite those experiments, further consolidation and restructuring are expected.