The food retailer market - France (2024)

1.2 The global vending machine market

The global vending machine market was estimated at US$**.** billion in ****, with a CAGR of **.**% over the period ****-****. [***] This figure takes into account revenues from vending machine sales and vending machine operations. The market is booming, thanks to growing consumer demand for take-away products and the convenience and speed of vending machine consumption. The market is dominated bybeverage vending machines, which account for **% of worldwide sales, representing US$*.** billion. The popularity of the beverage sector is mainly due to the high demand for coffee and energy drinks. The USA is the country with the most vending machines, with * million installed, or around * for every ** inhabitants, and will hold **.*% of the market share by value in ****. But it's Japan that has the highest density of vending machines, with *.** million, and the widest variety of products sold, with vending machines selling alcoholic beverages, bananas and even clothes.

sales trend

1.3 The European market in top form

In Europe, the number of vending machines continues to grow, reaching *.** million by ****, led by Italy with ***,*** machines. While the global pandemic slowed the market for a while, it seems to have resumed strong growth, stimulated by rising demand. In the Netherlands, sales amount to ** billion euros, with an impressive **% growth to ****, making it the largest market in terms of sales. Meanwhile, Germany records the highest sales, with *.* billion euros, up **% on last year. The effects of inflation and hybrid working are offset by rising consumption and higher prices , ensuring the market's profitability for years to come. italy is by far the world's leading exporter of beverage vending machines, with exports in **** of US$*** million; by comparison, the second largest exporter is the Netherlands, with a total value of US$** million.

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Top ** vending machine exporters worldwide World, in ****, in Source: ****

The European Vending Association publishes an annual report on the sector, providing an insight into market issues.

Europe used to be a very dynamic region in the vending market, but the pandemic has greatly affected sales. Growth is mainly driven by the move upmarket in the product offering.

Vending machine sales in Europe Europe, ****-****, in billions of euros Source: ...

1.4 French vending market dominated by hot drinks

In ****, the vending machine market in France was estimated at *.* billion euros. [***] There are currently ****** vending machines in France, both for hot drinks and cold drinks combined with snacks. The main customers for vending machines are companies, which provide machines for their employees and account for **% of the French market. They are also responsible for **% of sales in France.

Revenues from the sale and operation of vending machines have varied considerably in recent years. Changing consumer habits, the covid crisis and the emergence of telecommuting as a working habit have had a major impact on the sales generated by this sector.

sales trends in vending in France France, ****-****, in billions of euros Source: ****

industry professionals estimate that around a quarter of the turnover generated is due to vending machine sales themselves, with the remainder coming from the profits of the companies operating these machines (***).

Breakdown of beverage sales France, in ****, in %, in %, in %, in %, in %, in %, in %, in %, in %, in % Source: ****

In-company vending machines account for **% of sales. It is difficult to obtain data on the distribution of machines in public places, such as hotels, airports, train and metro stations.

Quantity of products sold, by product type France, ****, in millions ...

1.5 The impact of Covid-19

The confinement had a major impact on vending machine sales, as the French, stuck at home, were no longer able to use them, either in businesses or public places.

Sales in the sector fell by **.*% between January and April ****. The sector seems to have started to recover since the end of the confinement, but has never reached pre-crisis levels. The summer months are also causing a drop in sales, with lower consumption in companies.

Sales index for vending machines and other retail outlets excluding stores, stalls or markets France, ****-****, base *** **** Source: ****

2.1 The French are turning more and more to snacking

At the latest edition of the Sandwich & Snack Show in Paris, the "Speak snacking ****" study revealed current trends in on-the-go catering consumption in France. Although the sector experienced a slight slowdown during the pandemic of **** and ****, with a decline in impulse snack consumption and an increase in nutritional concerns, snacking continues to gain momentum in the French market.

In ****, the snacking market generated sales of nearly **.* billion euros, illustrating sustained growth over several years. French consumers are gradually turning away from traditional meals in favor of lighter, more convenient options. Healthy, balanced snacks, such as natural, organic and low-calorie products, are becoming increasingly popular.

Among the most popular snacking products in France are energy bars, dried fruit, yoghurts and smoothies, as well as pre-packaged sandwiches, wraps and salads. Ingredient quality and product traceability remain key criteria for French consumers.

French snacking habits France, ****, in percent Source: ****

Snacking is above all part of the lunch habits of the French, who eat away from home. Snacking is benefiting from inflation, which has prompted many French people to cut back on their meal budgets and turn to less expensive outlets than restaurants. **% of French people have observed price rises in the outlets they frequent ...

2.2 Businesses, the first customers of food vending machines

demand for vending machine products is directly linked to employment in France. In fact, companies account for **% of the customers of vending machine management companies. [***]

Sales generated by vending machine location France, ****, in Source: Nomadia **% of sales generated by vending machines come from companies.

The coffee break, a veritable institution in French companies

**% of French people take at least one coffee break a day at work, compared with just **% who never do. Coffee machines have thus become an integral part of the French corporate landscape.

Frequency of coffee breaks among French employees France, ****, % (***) Source: ****

However, there are big differences in equipment depending on company size. Over ** employees, companies are equipped in **% of cases, a rate that rises to **% for companies with over ** employees. Company size is therefore an important factor to take into account when installing a vending machine for hot drinks.

Presence of a paid hot beverage dispenser in companies, by size France, ****, % Source: ****

Most companies make use of paid hot beverage dispensers within their business (***). However, there are many free solutions, such as vending machines and coffee makers. In the public sector, **% of employees have a collective filter coffee maker.

Coffee preferences for work breaks France, in ****, in Source: ...

2.3 Visitor numbers: a major determinant of demand

Waiting and transit areas are particularly conducive to the consumption of vending machine products.

Public transport

Public transport ridership fell sharply during the covid period, and has not recovered to pre-covid levels. As a result, public transport ridership in the Île-de-France region is currently forecast to fall by **% between **** and ****.

urban public transport trends Level in millions of passengers per kilometer Source: ****

Commuters (***) are becoming increasingly numerous. Between **** and ****, the number of commuters rose by * points, from **% to **%. Distances are also increasing, with half of all commuters living more than ** km from their workplace, * km further than in ****. [***]

At the same time, more and more French people are taking the train nationwide. In ****, almost ** million passengers chose the train for their vacations, *% more than the previous year. Lower prices, with the development of the OUIGO low-cost offer, have a lot to do with it. [***]

Airports

Commercial air traffic has not returned to pre-covid levels either, with *** million commercial passengers in ****, compared with *** million in ****.

Commercial passenger traffic at airports France, ****-****, in millions Source: ****

Hotels

Hotels also have vending machines, often for coffee or drinks, to enable their customers to consume at any time. Île-de-France is the region with the most ...

2.4 Demand for healthy products

Demand for healthy products is growing every year in France. by way of example, organic products alone represent a market worth *.* billion euros, representing average annual growth of **% between **** and ****.(***) This applies not only to organic products, however, but also to those containing less sugar - the consumption of which is encouraged by the government via laws such as the soda tax.

According to an Ipsos survey, health has become a very important and integral part of many French people's diets. So, when people are asked what "eating well" means, eating healthily comes in second place behind eating well and ahead of eating affordably.

Poll: what does eating well mean to you? France, in ****, in

This preoccupation is even greater among the over-**s, while the younger generations seem to prefer conviviality and ethical eating.

For those surveyed, eating healthy or balanced means first and foremost favoring vegetables (***). [***]

To meet these new expectations, NAVSA (***) has developed a "feel good" label. The label is based on specifications that promote four types of product:

Cereal products or equivalents Fruit and vegetables Non-alcoholic soft drinks Dairy products

The label can be awarded to vending machines selling snacks, mixed products or showcases. [***] Managers applying for ...

3.1 The vending value chain

The vending machine industry is unique in that it involves players with very different functions. Firstly, there are the vending machine manufacturers, but also the producers of the products offered in the vending machines, who often work through wholesalers to sell their products.

Managers are primarily responsible for installing and supplying vending machines. Management can be carried out by specialized companies (***).

3.2 Suppliers

Machine manufacturers

The main players in the market are the manufacturers of vending machines, who account for a small proportion of the sector's sales compared with the revenue generated by product sales. These companies are often foreign, and France imports the majority of its vending machines.

The market leader in France is EVOCA, an Italian company with eight brands, including Necta, Wittenborg, Saeco, Gaggia, SGL and others. The company achieved worldwide sales of ***.* billion euros in **** [***]. The other main players, Rheavendors and Bianchi Vending, are also Italian. Smaller players such as Sielaff and SandenVendo are also firmly established in the market.

For payment systems integrated into vending machines, the leading companies are Crane Payment Innovation (***) for electronic systems. Most manufacturers offer coin- and card-operated machines.

Agri-food companies

These companies supply the products to be sold in vending machines. Nescafé has a strong presence in the hot beverage segment, Coca-Cola in the soda segment, and Ferrero and Masterfoods dominate the confectionery segment. Other brands such as Lay's and Haribo are also present in certain distributors.

Last but not least, distributors offering sandwiches or boxed lunches include the Sodebo brand.

3.3 Managers

Managers install the machines in companies, take care of maintenance and earn their income from the revenues generated by the vending machines. They account for **% of the market, and face stiff competition. [***] While there are undoubtedly market leaders such as Selecta (***), there are also many smaller players.

Among the leading companies, concentration has become increasingly marked in recent years. Selecta, which recently acquired Pelican Rouge, posted sales of *** million euros in France in ****, while Daltys, the second-largest company in the market, which bought MaxiCoffe in ****, could claim sales of *** million euros. [***] This concentration of the market's larger companies is intended to make them more resistant to competition from smaller firms.

Smaller asset management companies can also form groups. Prodia +, which brings together some fifty companies in the sector, is thus one of the leading players in the market and achieved sales of *** million euros in ****. [***]

The number of salaried employees in vending machine sales (***) rose by *.*% between **** and **** before falling in **** and ****, notably due to the sector's concentration, and then beginning a recovery in ****.

However, with containment, **** is likely to be a complicated year in terms of employment. Selecta plans to shed **% of its workforce, i.e. *** positions. The company saw ...

4.1 The different vending machines

Vending machines can be distinguished according to their format:

Free-standing dispensers: dispensers in the form of cabinets, including hot drinks, soft drinks, sweets and snacks. Table-top" dispensers: automatic or semi-automatic dispensers placed on a pedestal. They take up less space than free-standing machines, so their range is smaller. They usually offer only hot drinks. Office coffee service: small coffee machines in offices, which operate with capsules or coffee beans.

Another way of distinguishing them is by the products they offer:

Hot-beverage vending machines: as we saw above, these machines account for **% of the French fleet. They dispense coffee, tea or other hot beverages by pouring the liquid directly into a cup. Soft-drink dispensers: these offer fresh sodas, juices and water (***) to the consumer. These dispensers are often window dispensers. Snack and confectionery vending machines: these offer different types of cookies, candies, chocolate bars, potato chips, sandwiches, etc. Here again, the majority of vending machines are window-mounted. Again, these are mostly window dispensers. Mixed dispensers: dispensers offering both types of product (***). Other products: today's vending machines offer a much more elaborate range of products, such as pizzas and ready-made meals. [***]

Finally, they are distinguished by their payment system:

Coin-operated systems: coin acceptors ...

4.2 Distributor prices

The price of a dispenser varies according to the type of products offered, its capacity, size, etc. It is possible to buy a dispenser or rent one (***). Another option is self-management, but this costs the company nothing.

Price ranges are detailed in the table below:

Source: ****

Product prices are set by managers or companies (***) according to the purchase prices obtained from suppliers. Simple coffees generally cost a few dozen euros, while soft drinks and snacks are more expensive.

The soda tax, also led to an increase in the price of these drinks when it was introduced in ****. At the time, it was *.** euros per hectoliter for beverages containing added sugar. from ****, this tax will be modulated according to the amount of sugar contained. Thus, it is triggered from * gram of sugar per *** ml and can reach around twenty euros per hectoliter for a product exceeding ** g of added sugars per *** ml. [***]

4.3 Supply trends

New payment solutions:

Innovations in vending machine payment solutions are numerous. Following on from the democratization of contactless bankcard readers, payment systems for cell phones are on the rise. NFC mobile payment methods via apps like Apple Pay could change the game. For example, the acceptance of banknotes a few years ago led to a **% increase in sales, according to Pierre Albrieux of Navsa. The wider the range of payment types accepted, the wider the target audience for retailers should be able to expand. [***]

The National Commission for Luncheon Vouchers has also been working closely with Navsa to enable retailers to accept them and compete directly with other restaurant offerings. This was made possible in **** with the signing of an agreement between the two parties. [***] In addition, the recent dematerialization of meal vouchers (***) has facilitated payment at vending machines.

Vending machines that facilitate the customer experience:

Vending machines are reinventing themselves, and many of them are now touch-sensitive, with, for example, the option of adjusting the desired sugar dose for hot drinks. The trend is therefore towards personalization, with consumers able to make their own mixes, decide on a topping, etc. [***] The marketing and aesthetic efforts made on the machines also ...

5.1 Regulations

ooreka provides an overview of current regulations concerning vending machines:

Prohibited items:

Alcoholic beverages: according to article L.** of the Code des débits de boissons et des mesures contre l'alcoolisme, their presence in vending machines is prohibited. Tobacco: according to law no. **.*** of May **, ****, the presence of tobacco in vending machines is prohibited. Presence in educational establishments: according to law no. ****-*** of August *, **** concerning public health policy, the installation of vending machines (***) is prohibited in educational establishments, if the latter are paying and accessible to pupils.

Obligations :

Vending machines for packaged soft drinks (***) and mixed vending machines must be declared to customs. Vending machines offering only hot or cold drinks by the cup (***) do not have to be declared. As for vending machines selling sandwiches and other foodstuffs, a prior declaration must be made to the veterinary services, as is the case for all establishments offering food and drink.(***) within one month of installation. Access for the disabled (***).

Certifications:

Mandatory CE marking: allows free circulation of the product within the European Union, in compliance with health and safety requirements. ISO and Qualicert standards optional.

Health regulations:

Machine hygiene and maintenance: regulations cover the design, installation, cleaning and maintenance of ...

6.1 Segmentation

Source: ****

• Evoca France
• Rheavendors France
• Selecta France
• Maxicoffe (groupe Lavazza)
• Prodia +
• Qualidea
• Boxy
• Tazita
• Biltoki
• Géraud Groupe
• Transgourmet France
• Pomona Groupe
• Picnic
• Intermarché ITM Les Mousquetaires
• Sodexo France
• Lidl France
• E.Leclerc
• Chronofresh Delifresh (Chronopost)
• Auchan Retail
• C10 Distribution
• Carrefour Market
• Colruyt France
• Soframa Capella (Even groupe)
• Sherpa Distribution (Coréma)
• Innovorder
• Flo Europe
• Sodex
• Prodia Alimentation Animale
• Cafés Bibal
• Merling Professionnel (Groupe Merlin)
• Cup Service
• Mend’s
• Patouillet Ets
• UGDA