Vending machine stores on the rise

Vacant retail space, changing consumer habits and the desire for flexible shopping options are changing the retail sector forever. A representative study by the market and opinion research institute Marketagent, for which 1,000 people aged between 14 and 75 were surveyed as a representative sample of the Swiss population, shows that vending machines are becoming increasingly popular: Vending machine stores - i.e. stores without staff where products can be bought from vending machines around the clock - are gaining in popularity and acceptance.

Concern about vacancies in city centers

The development of many town centers is causing increasing concern among the population. 63% of Swiss people have the impression that the number of vacant stores is increasing, and 72% consider this development to be fundamentally worrying. The search for new uses for vacant retail space is therefore becoming increasingly important.

High profile, growing interest

This is exactly where vending machine stores come into play. Many people are already familiar with them: 88% of respondents have heard of vending machine stores and 29% have already made a purchase in one themselves. The younger generation is particularly open: the proportion of previous users among Generation Z is already around 40%. By comparison, the figure for baby boomers is just 14%.

Flexible and practical - but not without criticism

The biggest advantage from the consumer's point of view is continuous availability: 64% appreciate that vending machine stores are open around the clock. 57% see them as a practical solution for emergencies, for example when a product is urgently needed and traditional stores are already closed. One in four also see them as a time-saving way to make purchases quickly (25%). The ability to offer regional products is also rated positively (20.5%).

On the other hand, there is also criticism: the threat of job losses in retail (46 percent), possible technical disruptions (41 percent), a limited product selection (41 percent) and price mark-ups on products (40 percent) are among the biggest concerns of those surveyed.

Supplementing rather than replacing retail

According to the study, train stations and bus stops (56%) and rural regions with limited local supply (36%) are considered particularly suitable locations for vending machine stores. Overall, a majority see vending machine stores not as a replacement, but as a supplement to existing retail: almost two thirds see them as a useful addition to bricks-and-mortar retail (62%), while 50% believe that vending machine stores could help to fill vacancies and revitalize streets. At the same time, half of the population is in favor of restrictions on vending machine stores at night or in residential areas.

Roland Zeindler, Managing Director of Marketagent Switzerland, draws the following conclusion: «Vending machine stores are also hitting a nerve in Switzerland. The concept is particularly popular with Generation Z: For them, flexibility, speed and round-the-clock availability are clearly in the foreground. Older consumers, on the other hand, are much more reserved when it comes to vending machine stores. This shows that Vending machine stores have potential as a supplement to traditional retail, but they must create trust, function in an understandable way and clearly communicate their added value. They can be an exciting building block, especially where there are gaps in local supply or where vacancies require new usage concepts.»

Source: www.marketagent-schweiz.ch