NEW LAWS CRACKING DOWN ON TOBACCO VENDING MACHINES

While the vending machine business continues to expand to sell everything from hot meals to expensive electronics, there is one product the industry is trying to phase out. While tobacco vending machines are almost as old as the business itself, new laws could make the tobacco dispensers obsolete.

According to ThisIsJersey.com, new legislation could potentially ban not only tobacoo vending machines, but also prominent displays of the product within stores. The potential law was voted 43 to two in favor of the tobacco ban. If successful, cigarette vending products will have to be removed from their respective establishments over the next 18 months. Perhaps the biggest part of tobacco marketing is the bevy of cigarette packs behind convenience store counters, so their removal would surely have a huge impact on the industry.

People will likely be split over this potential ban, as the move helps promote an overall healthy country while making cigarettes less accessible for smokers. It will be interesting to see how the legislation pans out, as well as whether or not store owners will replace their tobacco vending machines with more traditional combo vending machines. Even with the industry evolving every single day, this story proves the importance of making sure today’s machines are vending the right products.