Vending machines became popular in Japan in the late 1950s, they were placed everywhere from urban to rural areas, since then Japan has been named as "vending machine paradise". Just like other business models, vending machines in Japan also have to undergo many improvements to meet the needs of users. Let's find out with Dropfoods the top 5 interesting things about vending machines in Japan today through this article!
1. Highest density of vending machines in the world
After 1950, vending machines became popular in Japan, big companies like Coca Cola and beer companies started to enter the vending machine industry leading to an increase in the number of vending machines in Japan.
From just 240,000 machines in 1964, the number of vending machines in Japan has increased dramatically and now has reached more than 5,000,000 vending machines, which means that there will be 01 machine for every 23 people on average. Therefore, it is reported that there is no space left to place vending machines in Japan and Japan has become the country with the highest density of vending machines in the world.
2. Diverse roles of Japan's vending machines
Besides providing food and beverage to users, vending machines in Japan today are also programmed to provide free necessities in case of natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis. These machines will be equipped with backup batteries or electric generators to be able to operate even during the power outage. In a country prone to natural disasters like Japan, this is a great solution and also the most interesting thing about vending machines in Japan today.
Since 2005, all vending machines in Japan have been equipped with a sticker showing the installation address. These stickers will send emergency signals to police and firefighters in case of natural disasters, accidents or other emergencies so they will locate the victim’s position to come to help them. If tourists are lost while traveling in Japan, they can also use the information on this device to make emergency calls.
There are also some vending machines that are equipped with an AED (Automated External Defibrillator). This device has the effect of analyzing the victim's heart rate. When necessary, the AED will defibrillate and help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm. This device can also instruct the user to perform CPR by voice and signal on the machine's LCD screen.
Additionally, the machine's LCD screen in Japan also acts as a bulletin board, helping to provide important information to people from the location and how to get to the evacuation areas to the basic information such as bus times, information about local festivals, .....
3. Modern technology of Japan's vending machines
Vending machines can be found everywhere in Japan. These machines develop strongly not only in quantity but also in modern technology. This is the country with the most developed vending machine technology in the world. Vending machines in Japan are equipped with facial recognition software and touch screens. The machine can suggest suitable beverages to customers based on their age and gender, if the facial recognition screen is not in use, the machine will recommend products based on time of day and season.
This machine model is developed by JR East Water Business Co with large touch screens and sensors that allow the machine to identify the customer's age and gender. From there, it will recommend suitable drinks based on the collected data. For male customers, the machine will recommend strong tasty drinks such as coffee, tea and energy drinks. If the customer is female, it will recommend lighter and sweeter products such as juice, milk tea or cakes. Suggested products can also be changed according to the temperature, time and weather of the day such as chilled water on sunny days or hot coffee on cold days.
Beside that, vending machines in Japan are also integrated with various payment methods from coins, prepaid electronic IC cards, via compatible applications or can be paid by credit card at the end of the month. .
In addition, vending machines in Japan have built-in sensors and timers. At that time, the machine can detect the brightness of the surrounding environment and control the lighting time. The machine will automatically turn off the lights during the day and turn on at night, helping to save energy optimally.
4. Revenue of vending machines in Japan are the highest in the world
Japan is the country with the highest sales of vending machines in the world with annual sales of more than 6 billion Yen, higher than convenience stores. This shows that the Japanese demand for vending machines is huge and the number of vending machines here is very large to get this total annual revenue.
5. Special vending machines in Japan
Vending machines in Japan are not limited to products sold from common items such as soft drinks, confectionery, hot foods,..... to special products such as lobsters, crabs, flowers, umbrellas, alcohol, cigarettes… However, to be able to buy alcoholic beverages and cigarettes, users need to have an ID card to verify their age before they can purchase. Vending machines in Japan also sell items that make customers feel awkward when buying directly at the store such as underwear, cleaning products, condoms, toilet paper, diapers, …..make it more convenient for consumers.
Coming to Japan, it is rare to come across packaged foods vending machines such as snacks and confectionery. More than half of the vending machines in Japan are beverage vending machines, including both hot and cold items. Additionally, in Japan there are many special vending machines, serving all the needs of consumers such as drink vending machines with roulette games, if customers win, they can get another drink for free. There are even automatic divination machines in Japan which appear a lot in temples and pagodas. When customers input money, the machine will return a piece of paper that predicts the customer's destiny.
Most vending machines in Japan are equipped with dustbins. This is not only because companies want to protect the environment but also because Japanese people have a habit of drinking all their drinks right at the machine rather than taking them away as customers will not be able to eat and drink on the subway.
The vending machine in Japan today is not simply a machine that provides food and drinks but also plays a special role in the lives of Japanese people when they can both provide necessities in times of danger and meet a variety of other needs of consumers.