Vending machines are a great way to provide quick and convenient meals, snacks and drinks. Having healthy vending machines means that staff and visitors in your organisation have more access to healthy foods and drinks.

If your organisation does not have a vending machine, and you want to set up healthy vending, follow the Healthy Choices guidelines using these steps.

Gain support from management

First speak to your organisation’s management about providing healthy vending. You can discuss that healthy vending:

• promotes health and wellbeing
• demonstrates the organisation’s leadership and commitment to supporting good health
• helps meet the expectation of staff and visitors that the organisation is health promoting.

Who will own and supply the machine?

Think about whether your organisation will buy and stock vending machines or lease machines from an external supplier.

If machines are owned and stocked internally, you can control the foods and drinks offered and how they are displayed and promoted.

If machines are leased from a supplier, you may need to negotiate with the supplier to make sure that healthy options are available and promoted.

Sourcing healthy foods and drinks

If vending machines are stocked internally, you can make sure that healthy options are available in line with the Healthy Choices guidelines.

For healthy food and drink ideas for vending machines refer to:

• the Healthy choices: food and drink classification guide  
• Healthy vending ideas 
• buyers guides

Finding a healthy supplier

If vending machines are leased from a supplier, it is important to source a supplier with a healthy vending range. To source healthier suppliers you can:

• contact the Healthy Eating Advisory Service or the National Vending Association.
• speak with other local organisations about their vending suppliers

Contracts with suppliers

If you sign a contract with a vending supplier, make sure the contract states that healthy foods and drinks need to be provided. You can include a service agreement in the contract which requires suppliers to meet the Healthy Choices guidelines. All contracts with new suppliers should include this service agreement.

Contracts should also include information about foods or drinks that cannot be provided due to organisational policies (e.g. liquids).

If your supplier needs support or information to help them provide healthier foods and drinks, encourage them to contact the Healthy Eating Advisory Service and visit this website.