VENDING ASSOCIATIONS


Accessibility of vending machines European Vending & Coffee Service


Association (EVA)


Future-Proofing Vending: Highlights from the AVA Technical & Operations Webinar


T he EVA has


been monitoring the European


Accessibility Act (EAA) for the last years, and particularly the national implementations of the law which had to be completed in June this year. The aim of the legislation is to remove specific national barriers to accessible products and services, and ensure design takes certain accessibility elements into consideration at the design phase. The EAA


requirements themselves are relatively vague but do require for example that products are designed to maximise usability for individuals with disabilities, including with accessibility instructions for use.


While vending machines are not in scope of the Directive, payment terminals explicitly are. We have been closely monitoring the national requirements


in case they define things like height requirements for payment terminals which obviously could bring real issues for vending machines. In Austria for example, a vending operator was told this


year to replace his vending machines, located in a public site, because they are not complying with the standard ÖNORM B1600, covering accessibility requirements. It states, “The control elements of a vending machine must be placed at a height of 80 cm to 110 cm above the finished floor level and must be marked in a contrasting and tactile way. The payment function must not be higher than 110 cm, and the change and goods retrieval functions must not be lower than 50 cm.” While the standard clearly refers to (drink) vending machines, the diagrams would give the impression that it was intended to apply more to ATM machines The physical accessibility rules that vending machines have


adhered to for many years are French legislative texts which specifically cover vending machines - people with a disability should have the payment and dispense devices at a maximum height of 1.30m and a minimum height of 0.40m. The EVA will be shortly publishing a statement for national governments reiterating the dimensions that freestanding vending machines have long been designed to comply with.


T


he AVA’s latest Technical & Operations


Webinar (22 October) brought together experts and industry leaders to tackle the future of unattended retail — from digital connectivity to


food safety, compliance, and employment reform.


Smartlink: The Next Generation of Connectivity Erwin Wetzel, Director General of the European Vending & Coffee Service Association (EVA), unveiled EVA Smartlink — a new, harmonized communication protocol designed to replace outdated systems like MDB. Built on OPC UA technology, Smartlink promises interoperability across vending, coffee and unattended retail systems, simplifying integration, enabling secure data exchange and supporting modern payments. Developed by an EVA working group, Smartlink will debut live at Venditalia 2026.


Food Safety & Allergen Compliance Under Scrutiny Food safety took centre stage, with Kepac’s James Hunter reminding operators that UK law requires chilled food to be stored below 8°C — ideally below 5°C — throughout its lifecycle, supported by full HACCP systems and training. Wendy Duncan of Camden BRI reinforced the legal duty to communicate allergen information for all 14 major allergens and prevent cross-contact, particularly in closed-front and hot drink machines.


Crackdown on Non-Compliant Imports EVA Public Affairs Manager David Irvine warned of unsafe, non-compliant non-European vending machines entering the market, often lacking CE/UKCA marking or breaching F-Gas and energy labelling laws. The EVA and AVA are launching a campaign urging regulators to strengthen enforcement and report violations.


Employment Law Updates The DWP’s John Spraggett outlined free employer support, whilst Quest’s Hema Mistry previewed major employment law reforms due by 2027.


Catch the full webinar and presentations on the AVA YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@automaticvendingassociatio9679


The Automatic Vending Association (AVA)


vendinginternational-online.com |


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