Managing director of quality disposables manufacturer and supplier, Herald, Yogesh Patel has warned that vending has to keep in line with high street coffee shops in the products it uses to avoid being left behind.
He said: “Awareness surrounding environmental issues has risen dramatically in the last few years and we are nearing a point where all vending product options will have to qualify as sustainable, on some level, in order to justify their useage.
“Arguments around the greater cost attached to more eco-friendly products have been balanced by surveys and reports which show that consumers are willing to pay more if they know that there is a sustainable reason for any increase in the price of the end product.
“It’s critical that vending is not left behind. It has to keep in line with high street coffee shops and other ‘on the go’ sources, when it comes to the environment, to prevent itself from becoming obsolete.
“The Covid pandemic made space for a greater environmental debate by making people more aware of their choices, their lifestyles and what they have control of. It’s changed the dynamic and younger generations are finding their voices through environmentally-focused channels.
“And it’s not just the younger generations. Consumers, overall, are more educated about the environment and less tolerant of single use plastics and the mis-direction of paper products that contain components that are largely unrecyclable.
“We have to meet customer demand in order to survive. This means respecting the market and delivering the right cups and for those like us, who supply the cups, checking in with our own suppliers and, where possible, choosing to work with those who have a green agenda.
“At Herald, our challenge has always been to respond to the market, while providing as wide a range of goods as possible and maintaining a competitive pricing structure. In order to maintain our footing and stay ahead, we aim to to remove any remaining obstacles relating to cost and choice for the independent vending providers so that providing a green solution is seen to be easy and affordable.”
