This post explores how vending machines are expanding far beyond snacks and drinks. In airports, hospitals, and even workplaces, new categories are appearing that reshape convenience retail. Some of these categories are still small in terms of market share, but their growth forecasts are striking. Together, they point to a decade of transformation in the vending industry.
Vending is a large global market, and it continues to grow year after year. To understand how it is changing, it helps to look at the size of the market today and where it is heading. The global retail vending machine market was valued at USD 72.1 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 89.3 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 3.7%. Asia Pacific accounted for more than half of global revenue in 2024, while North America remains one of the fastest-growing markets. The segment leading this growth is beverages, which held a 44.78% share of the global market in 2024.
In the United States, the same pattern dominates. Beverages accounted for 38.08% of vending revenue in 2024, followed by snacks, which remain the next largest category. But the “other” segment, which includes everything from beauty and personal care to pharmaceuticals, electronics, books, and personal protective equipment (PPE such as masks, gloves, and sanitizers), is no longer negligible. While this group still represents a smaller share compared to drinks and snacks, it is the fastest-expanding part of the market, with multiple subcategories posting growth rates well above the overall industry average.
At the same time, “intelligent” or connected machines are expanding much faster than traditional models, with double-digit growth expected through the next decade. This shift explains why new product categories are appearing in airports, campuses, hospitals, and offices worldwide.
In this post, we will explore how these non-traditional categories are rising, why businesses are moving beyond snacks and beverages, and what the future of vending looks like as it evolves into a full-service retail channel.
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The shift toward connected and intelligent machines is already visible in the types of products finding their way into vending. What was once almost exclusively about drinks and snacks is now expanding into categories that meet very different needs. These newer segments are still small in comparison, but their growth is faster and their presence is spreading across high-traffic locations worldwide.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) moved from a niche to a visible category during the pandemic and has stayed relevant in workplaces and public venues. Analysts tracking industrial and PPE vending expect steady expansion at about 9 percent per year through 2030, with some estimates placing dedicated PPE units on a similar path over a longer horizon
Electronics and accessories are becoming a familiar sight in travel hubs. Chargers, headphones, and power banks solve urgent needs and drive impulse purchases. There is no consistent public forecast that isolates electronics vending as a separate share today, but case studies from airports and rail stations show persistent demand for last-minute tech items. This makes the segment one of the more practical examples of how vending is adapting to modern lifestyles, even if exact figures are not yet available.
Beauty and personal care vending is growing from a small base in the United States. Industry reports put the market at about 91.6 million dollars in 2023, with a projected 10.5 percent annual growth rate into the 2030s. Locations that see quick, convenience-led purchases such as airports, malls, and hotels are leading the way.
Books, novelties, and cultural items appear in museums, university halls, and tourist areas. These categories are usually grouped into the broad “other” bucket in market reports, which keeps them under the radar statistically. Even so, operators note consistent sales where foot traffic is high and dwell time encourages browsing.
Automotive items and tools are most common in rest stops, industrial sites, and logistics hubs. In many cases these machines fall under the broader “industrial vending” category, which market forecasts also identify as being on a growth trajectory this decade.
People no longer see vending machines only as a place for a quick drink or a candy bar. They want more. A mask before visiting a hospital. A skincare item picked up on the way to a flight. A charger when the phone battery dies in a train station.
For operators, this shift brings a financial edge. Items like electronics or personal care carry better margins than chips or soda. That helps cover the cost of machines placed in airports, campuses, or busy transit hubs.
It is also easier to test new products. A machine can be stocked with small batches, changed quickly if something does not sell, and tailored to local demand without the cost of opening a store.
This is why non-traditional vending keeps spreading. It works for customers, and it works for the businesses running the machines.
What sells in a vending machine often comes down to location. Different environments create different needs, and that is where non-traditional vending is finding its space.
Airports and major transit stations are leading the way for electronics, beauty, and travel essentials. Travelers are often short on time and willing to pay for convenience, whether it is a charger, a skincare item, or a small comfort before a long trip.
Hospitals have become important sites for vending too. PPE and medical supply machines help staff, patients, and visitors when regular pharmacies are closed, keeping essentials available at any hour.
Gyms and university campuses lean toward fitness products, personal care, and healthier snacks. These machines fit naturally into routines built around exercise, study, and busy schedules.
Workplaces are shifting toward micro-markets. Instead of a single vending unit, these setups mix machines with open shelves and self-checkout kiosks. The result is more choice for employees but with the same speed and convenience that vending is known for.
All of this is tied to the rise of connected vending. Cashless payments, remote monitoring, and real-time service are no longer extras — they are becoming standard features. The number of connected machines worldwide is expected to climb from about 5.8 million in 2022 to more than 12 million by 2027, showing how quickly the infrastructure for new categories is taking shape.
We touched on micro-markets in the workplace section. They deserve more space here because they work differently from a standard vending unit. A micro-market combines open shelves, coolers, and a self-checkout kiosk, offering more variety and fresher products than a traditional machine can hold.
Some operators also use hybrid setups. These combine standard vending machines with open shelves or coolers, all tied to the same self-checkout system. They work well in places that need more variety than a single machine but don’t have the space or traffic for a full micro-market.
The numbers show why this format is gaining ground. In North America, the micro-market segment is expected to grow by about 13 percent per year through 2030, with estimates placing the market at roughly 10.5 billion dollars by the end of the decade.
This growth is powered by the same technology stack that supports modern vending — cashless payments, telemetry, and centralized inventory control. Micro-markets don’t replace vending machines. They build on them, giving operators another way to serve people.
The next decade will not just be about adding more product types. It will be about vending becoming a more advanced retail channel.
Health and sustainability are set to drive much of the change. PPE and medical vending are expected to keep expanding, with forecasts placing the global medical vending market near 2.7 billion dollars by 2030. Reverse-vending machines, which handle bottle and can returns, are also scaling quickly, supported by recycling laws and corporate sustainability programs. Growth rates here range between 6 and 11 percent annually into the early 2030s.
Technology will shape the rest. The U.S. beauty and personal care vending market, though small today, shows double-digit growth potential over the next decade. At the same time, connected vending is moving from an add-on to the baseline. Analysts expect the global installed base of connected machines to more than double within five years, creating room for premium products, flexible pricing, and hybrid retail models.
The bigger picture is that vending is shifting from “machines on the side” to a core part of retail planning. Airports, campuses, and workplaces will still lead, but new concepts — from micro-markets to recycling kiosks — show how vending is becoming a full-service channel for daily life.
Every new vending format relies on one thing: staying connected. Machines can only work if payments go through and stock data is updated in real time.
When that link breaks, so does the promise of convenience. A kiosk that goes offline at lunchtime or a return unit that can’t process bottles leaves people frustrated and less likely to come back.
This is why connectivity sits at the center of vending’s future. Products and formats will keep changing, but without reliable connections, none of it lasts.