Vending

Predictably, 2008 was a tough year for the vending industry, as well as the food industry as a whole, and 2009 "does not promise any improvement given the continuing increase in account downsizing and decrease in consumer confidence," according to Automatic Merchandiser’s State of the Vending Industry Report. Total industry revenue for 2008 stood at $22.05 billion, almost 5% below 2007’s $23.21 billion and almost 10% less than the 10-year high of $24.49 billion in 2000. Rising unemployment as well as the shifting in American jobs from blue collar to white collar affected the vending industry enough to disrupt a fiveyear growth trend. Some experts claim that the vending industry may have a negative consumer perception, which convenience stores and fast food chains have taken advantage of.