Not Your Average Vending Machine...

Vending machines have offered convenient access to snacks and beverages, but entrepreneurs around the world are now stocking them with products ranging from cycling helmets in Melbourne to needle exchanges in Las Vegas.  This demonstrates an effort to make access to these products easier for consumers.

Consider the needle exchange machine in Las Vegas, which is located in a drug treatment centre. It provides an easy-to-access, clean needle kit in a safe environment with no fear of legal repercussions.  Likewise, the ‘Wellness To Go’ Machine’ at the University of California aims to make reproductive choices for students easier by dispensing condoms, pregnancy tests, and Plan B. 

What other unorthodox approaches can make our products easier for patients and consumers to access?  How can we reduce the stigma around certain health issues and encourage people to make desired behaviour changes?  Check out this article for more unusual vending machines across the globe.