Pictured: Steven Gallagher, Gem MD
East Midlands based snacks and drinks vending specialist GEM Vending is said to have taken vending services ‘to a new level’ by introducing QR code technology to its machines, (as reported here on Planet Vending). For the past 18, months the company has been piloting the digital system, which provides access to free nutritional information on all products, via customer’s smartphones. This is a timely intervention, given the current debate about sugar content in soft drinks and it has proven popular with leading organisations in the East Midlands, such as Speedo, Derby City Council and My Home Move.
The successful pilot has been running across a range of public and private organisations and has prompted the company to look for a leisure sector partner to see how the QR Code technology might be applied to strengthen the link between health, nutrition and exercise.
The QR Code facility is an extension of GEM Vending’s unique Green Dot campaign whereby certain products are marked to indicate a healthier option. Taking this principle a stage further, the GEM QR code is prominently displayed on the front of all vending machines and when scanned take the customer to the GEM ‘Smart site’ . Here the user finds a breakdown of each product’s nutritional values. A further search option for Vegans, Vegetarians and those on a Gluten-Free leads them to suitable products. The site also presents Gem’s ethical values, which include a commitment to display at least 15% healthier and Fairtrade and Rainforest approved products.
Nikki Wilson, Business Services Manager at Speedo, says: “We love technology, so the use of QR codes to access free nutritional information is very innovative of GEM Vending. We can quickly check what’s in our lattes and cappuccinos before we make our daily choices. This is a great benefit to the health and wellbeing of our team, which is really important here at Speedo.”
Derby City Council Facilities Development Manager, Wayne Sills agreed: “Our rigorous tender processes always allow us to search for innovation and new ideas that can enhance what we offer as a forward thinking Local Authority. Both Derby City Council and our customers are delighted with the introduction of QR codes as a means of accessing free nutritional information and GEM were the only vending company to offer this service completely free of charge.”
‘At My Home Move we have a young health conscious workforce who find the QR codes a really useful information tool, John Hood, Facilities Manager for My Home Move, said. ‘It’s something we’ve never had before and we really value it.”
Based in Langley Mill between Derby, Nottingham and Leicester, GEM Vending worked with the digital technology company Just Peel to create the QR Code and Smart site. Due to the extensive range of products, as well as the variables associated with specialist hot drinks commonly found on the high street, it was a complex project.
Steven Gallagher, Managing Director of GEM Vending told PV, ‘so much of what we do is about understanding changing consumer preferences. We could see the potential of using mobile technology to deliver detailed product information in this way, so that consumers are given the facts they need before they make their purchasing decision. For all kinds of people, for instance those requiring products with lower sugar or fat content, it’s a real boon.’
The introduction of QR codes by Gem Vending is not an end in itself: on the contrary, it’s the beginning of a new digital age for the company.’We’re looking to help people understand the link between their own health, their snack preferences and exercise. To do this, we want to speak to leaders in the leisure industry, especially those who emphasise staff and customer well-being. The plan would be to co-brand and develop the QR code to provide not only nutritional information but also the exercise options to compliment the enjoyment of vended drinks and snacks.”
