Japan’s Iconic Vending Machines: Will it be Saved?

If you have been to Japan, or if you visit there in the coming days or months, you will be overwhelmed by the number of vending machines.

In every street and in every corner, vending machines are available ranging from the classic vending machine that gives you soda to a modern vending machine that lets you buy sneakers conveniently and on the spot. There might be a vending machine for every product imaginable in Japan.

Vending machines are also categorized, for instance, a blue vending machine means it serves cold beverages while to red one serves hot beverages.

The legendary vending machines in Japan rakes in $60 million dollars annually.

Japan has a high population with around 126 million inhabitants, and in every 23 inhabitants there is 1 vending machine.

The Decline

Drinks sales plunged by 35% in the early months of 2020 due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), making the vending machine industry “less essential” as people are also discouraged to go outside of their homes unless really necessary.

But for the Japanese Government, they want to help to keep the “legacy” from falling apart.

With the continous lockdown restrictions, the sale was at -13% last August.

To keep the “legacy” alive, Japan-based drinks holdings Mastodon DyDo Group Holdings Inc. will be investing ¥6 billion ($56.7 million) to come up with post-pandemic plans for the vending machines.

Part of those plans are making these machines into data centers or it could also be used to offer people internet connection for various purposes. (MLC)