New report shows recovery gaining traction for Europe's vending, OCS operators and suppliers

More than half of vending and coffee service operators in Europe reported a reduction in revenue turnover from 21% to 40% in 2020, according to the latest study by Brussels-based European Vending & Coffee Service Association (EVA).

Following the publication of two reports on COVID-19’s impact on the industry last year, EVA’s new data draw on survey responses from both vending operators and suppliers, including manufacturers, ingredient suppliers and payment solution providers, for instance. Questions probe the recent economic landscape and business expectations for the remainder of 2021 and the whole of 2022.

The majority of the report’s responses were derived from businesses in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, EVA said.

Key findings:

• 56% of operators declared a reduction in turnover in 2020 of between 21 and 40%.
• 37% of the suppliers expect growth in 2022, compared with 2019.
• 91% of operators are impacted by people working from home, while 76% of suppliers are affected by reduced orders.
• The scale of business investments appears to be flexible with 30% of operators and 23% of suppliers planning investments based on sales performances for this year.
• 66% of operators plan to adapt their machines with cashless payment options by the end of 2021.

As COVID-19 restrictions continue to ease throughout Europe, EVA observed, vending companies are increasingly reporting fewer restrictions to machine and site access, and site closures – some of the big issues reported in 2020.

For suppliers, supply chain difficulties, shifting demands and reduced orders from clients are now the main challenges. With a majority of operators planning payment systems upgrades, however, fintech companies could see a boost in orders in the second half of this year.

EVA members have free access to the full report. Anyone else interested in acquiring the report could contact EVA at [email protected].