Sustainability gets talked about a lot in business, but for a vending operator, the obvious question is: does it actually make sense for my operation?

Fortunately, some of the easiest ways to reduce the environmental impact of a vending business are also things that can reduce operating costs.

That doesn’t mean replacing your fleet, filling machines with products nobody buys, or creating a complicated sustainability program. It can be as simple as reducing unnecessary driving, wasting less product and considering energy consumption when purchasing your next machine.

Here are a few areas worth considering.

1. Fewer Unnecessary Service Trips

Fuel is expensive. So are your time, vehicle maintenance and depreciation.

Operators using telemetry already have an advantage here. Knowing what’s happening inside a machine before sending someone to service it can help avoid unnecessary trips and make routes more efficient.

If better route planning eliminates even a few unnecessary trips each month, you’re using less fuel while also lowering your operating costs.

The environmental benefit and the business benefit happen to go together.

2. Waste Less Product

Expired products aren’t just food waste; they’re lost inventory.

Operators already know their slower and faster locations, but there can still be opportunities to move inventory between machines before it becomes unsellable.

Products approaching their best-before dates may be moved to higher-volume locations, reduced where your equipment and pricing system allow it, or otherwise worked through the route rather than eventually being thrown away.

Reducing expired inventory doesn’t require a sustainability initiative. It just means less product; and less money; ending up in the garbage.

3. Consider Energy Use When Buying Equipment

Nobody needs to replace a perfectly good vending machine just to save electricity.

But when you’re already purchasing or replacing equipment, energy consumption is worth considering.

LED lighting, newer refrigeration systems and energy-management features can reduce electricity consumption compared with some older equipment.

In many vending locations, the client is paying the electrical bill. Being able to offer efficient equipment can therefore be a benefit to both the operator and the location.

4. Packaging Can Matter: When Customers Care About It

Packaging waste is becoming more visible to consumers and businesses, but that doesn’t mean operators should replace proven sellers simply because another product comes in a greener-looking package.

Where comparable products are available at similar costs and margins, packaging can simply become one more consideration.

This may be particularly relevant at locations that already have recycling, waste-reduction or sustainability initiatives.

5. Sustainability Can Help Win Some Locations

This may be the most important reason for operators to understand the subject.

Municipal facilities, educational institutions, large corporations and other organizations may have sustainability goals or environmental requirements for their suppliers.

If you’re competing for one of those locations, being able to explain what your company is already doing can strengthen your proposal.

That might include:

• Energy-efficient vending equipment
• LED lighting
• Cashless payments and telemetry
• Route optimization that reduces unnecessary service trips
• Recycling or waste-reduction practices
• Efforts to reduce expired inventory
• Products or packaging that meet a location’s sustainability requirements

You don’t need to promise something you aren’t doing. Simply documenting the things you already do may give you something useful to include in a proposal or RFP response.

6. Don’t Spend $1 to Save 10¢

Not every environmentally friendly idea makes financial sense for every vending business.

A small independent operator running a local route has very different needs from a national company servicing hundreds of locations.

The goal shouldn’t be to pursue sustainability at any cost. Look for areas where lower waste, lower energy use and better efficiency also make business sense.

Those are usually the easiest changes to maintain.

The Bottom Line

For vending operators, sustainability doesn’t need to be complicated.

Drive fewer unnecessary kilometres. Throw away less inventory. Consider energy consumption when purchasing equipment. And if you’re bidding on a location that cares about sustainability, make sure they know what you’re already doing.

You may find that some of the greener decisions are also simply good business.