October 2010

Whilst the debate on obesity amongst the population and the importance of a balanced diet continues, vending has come under some unwarranted criticism. Jonathan Hilder, CEO of the Automatic Vending Association (AVA), sets the record straight and explains how vending machines can be part of the solution to a healthy lifestyle.
It is important to understand that the UK Snack and Confectionary market is worth £39bn of which £7.8bn is chocolate and snacks. Only 5% of the snack intake goes through the vending channel proving that the vending machine is not the problem, we need to look at lifestyles and make some changes that will really impact on us.

The AVA is the trade body representing the £1.65bn refreshment vending industry and as part of its initiatives, it has formed the Vending Choice Coalition (VCC). The VCC is group comprising of key food and beverage associations, major brand manufacturers and operator companies. Their goal is to ensure that consumers have freedom of choice to purchase a wide range of food and beverages through the vending channel in order to achieve a balanced diet.
Keen to demonstrate how vending can aid healthy eating, the AVA organised a “healthy choice” conference in July. Top speakers included John Dyson, from the British Hospitality Association, who explained how a workable system, incorporating healthier products, has been successfully implemented in Scotland. They have seen vending revenues increase proving that if managed correctly, vending and healthier choices really do go together.

Recent studies by the National Heart Forum found evidence that the rate of childhood obesity may be starting to slow and the reported projections had been greatly exaggerated.

Its figures suggest that by 2020 the proportion of boys aged 2 – 11 who will be overweight or obese will be 30% - not the 42% that was predicted!

For girls the same age the revised prediction is now 27% - down from 48%. 

It is well proven that a lifestyle that combines regular physical activity with consumption of a wide range of food choices is the key to a healthy lifestyle. It is vital that pupils are able to make that choice for themselves.

Scotland’s largest teaching union has recently thrown its weight behind a campaign to amend the law to allow Aberdeen students to sell chocolate in their school.
The pupils argued that healthy lifestyles cannot be “forced” on youngsters, and a balance must be struck because they would only go to nearby shops to buy chocolate and sweets that are not available in school.
Chocolate will be part of their lives forever and they need to be educated to be able to properly make choices.
As Jonathan pointed out “when you impose restrictions on choice, all that happens is that the point of purchase moves to another place which often can’t be controlled.”

“Vending is a great way to provide a broad selection of food and drink to children and young people throughout the day. It provides choices that include fresh fruit and low sugar products and managed well it can ease the pressures on catering staff during lunch time, as well as extend the catering service to outside school hours. Pupils like the ‘grab and go’ facility that vending provides and it helps to keep them on site at lunchtime, which in turn encourages more healthy eating than the local shops might provide.”

“Using the latest technology, pupils can make their choices using a secure cashless system. Parents are able to put credit onto a card as well as preventing unhealthy items from being vending. Some schools are even using finger print recognition.”

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