NY NY?

Well, happy 2013 to one and all!  For those humming to themselves "New York, New York; so good they named it twice", you're close, but no cigar!

New Year - New You!  Even though we are but 2 weeks into 2013, it's been hard to escape endless articles about how this year is going to be THE year that you, me and everyone else can change.... seemingly, even if we neither need nor want "change", there's plenty of advice out there.

So, you may ask, what has this to do with our favourite topic, VENDING? Well, our industry is impacted by economic, social and environmental factors just as much as any other.  Changes or trends that are alive and kicking on the High Street, Wall Street or Fleet Street will affect us sooner or later.

Taking a punt at what that might mean for 2013, here are 24vend's predictions for the winds of change in vending!!

Consolidation - happening everywhere!  Some of you who follow us on twitter would have seen our little joke on 21st December (the day that, according to some who follow the Mayan calendar, the world would end) that whilst the world hadn't ended Crane had made moves to purchase MEI.  So, we predict there will be more changes like this...  ears to the ground, and all that!

Health and Wellbeing - well this truly will run and run although, of course, if we were all running and running, we might not be in this pickle!  Perhaps pickles will be proven to be the way forward in 2013, but we doubt that very much...  we won't bore you with numbers, but the fact is too many of us are carrying a bit of extra timber and life seemingly conspires to prevent the local lumberjack from making a dent on the excess.  We predict more debates about how to get more people moving more often; how to limit our excesses; how to educate us with labelling schemes (that still confuddle and confuse!) and etc.... Surely, lest we forget, there will be the old chestnut of taxation to cure all ills when everything else doesn't work...  personally, we're hoping to see some exciting new products that will tempt, taste and teach us that eating can still be fun whilst being healthy and genuinely good for us!  Oh, and remember, move a bit more (thanks!)

Social, digital and mobile - well, cash will always be King but it's true that it's probably surrounded by the elegant Queens and Princesses of cashless.  Everyone's talking mobile wallet and the rise and rise of smartphones and tablets cannot be denied.   With retailers beginning their journey of tablet as cash register/till, it's no surprise.  All that computing power in such small and mighty packages enables an internet of things as well as business solutions.  In other news, tablets and screens are being touted as the great saviours of vending (by some quarters at least).  Getting the integration right and cost structures sorted will definitely help this but (hold the front page!), maybe not as fast in vending as in more established retail.  "Slow and steady, when we're ready", we reckon!

Sustainability - in its broadest sense and across machines, ingredients and the manner in which we operate.  With corporate social responsibility high on political and economic agendas, vending will make progress; at varying rates and with different strategies but truly, vending does "get" it and will make it work!

So, we aren't fortune-tellers, but that's our two-penneth.  We'd love to know what you think, so feel free to get in touch with us.

Otherwise, good people of the vending village, all the very best for 2013!

Gillian & Neil
The Friendly Vending Geeks at 24vend