France drops mandatory nationwide deposit system for plastic bottles

September 8, 2026

The French government has dropped plans to require communities nationwide to establish a deposit-return system for plastic beverage bottles, according to a Le…

India airport to install sanitary napkin vending machines after online shaming

September 8, 2026

India's Chennai International Airport plans to install 36 sanitary napkin vending machines in its women's restrooms by the end of September, according to an…

Custom Vending adds cryptocurrency payments to OMNI machines

September 8, 2026

Custom Vending has introduced cryptocurrency payment capabilities for its OMNI Series vending machines through a partnership with RiverArk, according to a…

Volta expands Portugal’s bottle return network with high-capacity kiosks

September 8, 2026

SDR Portugal is expanding its Volta beverage-container collection network with high-capacity kiosks designed to serve restaurants, cafes, hotels and other…

Custom Vending Introduces Bitcoin Lightning Payments for their OMNI® Series Vending Machines

Custom Vending today announced a new Bitcoin payment capability for its OMNI® Series vending machines, giving operators the ability to accept payments through…

VenHub vending machine sells physical copies of Nipsey Hussle's posthumous album

September 4, 2026

VenHub has partnered with the estate of late rapper Nipsey Hussle to sell physical copies of his posthumous album "PROLIFIC" through the company's automated…

Lavazza Professional to deploy 600-plus self-service coffee machines across UK

September 4, 2026

Lavazza Professional is rolling out more than 600 self-service coffee machines across Motor Fuel Group locations in the United Kingdom under a new partnership…

Missouri welcome centers add free naloxone dispensers along I-44

September 4, 2026

Free naloxone is now available from newspaper-style dispensing boxes at two Interstate 44 welcome centers in Conway, Missouri, according to a KSMU News report…

The fresh food frontier, part 3: The cold chain becomes a data problem

by Ben Wheeler — Dir. of Business Dev. - Automated Retail, T-ROC

Fresh automated retail creates an unusual challenge. The store may be unattended, but the food cannot be unmanaged.

Does AI really save time in vending operations?

by Richard Slawsky — Editor, Connect Media

For small vending operators, artificial intelligence's biggest benefit may not come from futuristic machines or complicated predictive models. It can be as…

Scheidt & Bachmann to deploy 500 ticket machines across Swiss transit network

September 3, 2026

German technology company Scheidt & Bachmann will provide 500 new cashless ticket vending machines for public transportation in the Basel, Switzerland…

New York's MTA wraps up MetroCard vending machine auction

September 3, 2026

New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority has auctioned more than 60 retired MetroCard vending machines to transit enthusiasts, with some buyers paying…

NC school district seeks snack vending provider

September 3, 2026

Lenoir County Public Schools in North Carolina is seeking vendors to provide snack vending machines at its high schools, according to a public notice. The…

Maryland parks launch sports equipment rental kiosks

September 2, 2026

St. Mary's County Recreation & Parks has completed the rollout of self-service sports equipment rental kiosks at three Maryland parks through a partnership…

Missouri county expands free naloxone vending program

September 2, 2026

Jackson County Public Health in Missouri has installed its second Bluebox vending machine outside a Synergy One Lending office in the Kansas City suburb of…

UK farmers turn to vending machines to address rural food deserts

September 2, 2026

A farming family in Herefordshire, England, is using vending machines to sell fresh milk and locally produced foods directly to consumers, a model they believe…

California Pizza Kitchen pizza vending machine lands at Dayton airport

September 2, 2026

A California Pizza Kitchen automated retail machine is already operating at Dayton International Airport, giving Ohio travelers access to freshly prepared…

Greater Vancouver Food Bank launches vending machines at SkyTrain stations

September 1, 2026

The Greater Vancouver Food Bank has launched vending machines at two Vancouver SkyTrain stations to sell products made from surplus fruit that otherwise could…

Historic 'Star Wars' vending machine disappears, homemade version takes its place

September 1, 2026

A vintage "Star Wars"-themed vending machine that became an unusual neighborhood landmark in Pittsburgh has disappeared, leaving behind what appears to be a…

Improved reading scores follow book vending

September 1, 2026

Ridgeway Elementary School in Hamilton, Ohio, has added a book vending machine that allows students to earn free books as rewards for positive behavior and…