Westomatic: Doing Everything We Can. You could argue that it all began with the series finale of David Attenborough’s Blue Planet 11: what’s for sure is that, these days, it’s seen as de-rigeur to embrace the issues surrounding single-use items that contain plastic.
We’re proud to say that, at Westomatic, we’ve been dedicating time and resources to doing everything we can for the cause since long before those heart-rending images rocked up on TV screens and assaulted public consciousness.
According to the experts at Greenpeace, re-cycling these products simply isn’t enough. As a society, we have to find alternatives, even if, in so doing, we have to sacrifice ‘convenience’ in favour of pragmatism. We see our role in this as one of minimising the inconvenience.
Westomatic: Doing Everything We Can
Take paper cups, for example. Whilst we applaud the efforts of our industry colleagues that are determined to both to encourage and enable recycling, we’re adamant that there’s a more effective way to reduce the amount of used cups that end up either in landfill or in the oceans – and that’s to stop using them altogether.
Why not just carry a reusable cup? Some of the best-known high street coffee shops are offering discounts to customers who bring their own cups, so it makes sense that vending machine customers should have a similar opportunity. As you’d expect, Westomatic is focussed on making this a viable proposition for vending operators. That’s why every freestanding Westomatic vending machine includes a cup or bottle sensor as standard and what’s more, every machine facilitates split pricing. It means that you can respond positively to growing demands from environmentally aware consumers who wish to use their own cups.
Can your vending machines do that?
There’s another trend on the crest of a wave now, and that’s reverse vending. Reverse vending machines accept used, recyclable containers. If and when the law dictates that all purchasers of drinks served in single-use vessels are required to pay a deposit that is refundable on returning the item after use, these machines will become a ubiquitous fixture in a wide variety of retail outlets. Hot beverage cups need not be part of this: whilst it’s a tough job to find an alternative to the PET bottles that deliver water and soft drinks, a simple change of attitude is all society needs to turn away from disposable coffee cups.
Westomatic: Doing Everything We Can
At Westomatic we aren’t just sitting back hoping that consumers will get the message. On the contrary, we’re doing all we can to expedite change. We’ve been working with some excellent companies, such as Sigg and Brita, to develop reusable cups and bottles that can be offered for sale in our vending machines. We’re absolutely convinced that if alternatives to single-use items are readily available, consumer uptake will increase exponentially.
We’re also determined to keep our own house in order, by concentrating on what happens to the component parts of our machines when they come to end of life. We’re proud of our achievements: our Eco Encore, for instance, is constructed entirely from metal that has been recycled from used machines. Eventually, every vending machine needs to have an end of life plan and If you have a Westomatic machine that’s approaching the end of its life, don’t dump it in a skip – call us up, we’ll make sure it’s recycled.
We’re sure we can do more to protect our planet – we’re not complacent in any way – but we think it’s important that you know that Westomatic takes social responsibility very seriously indeed.
Planet Vending’s Westomatic Archive is HERE
Westomatic: Doing Everything We Can
Westomatic: Doing Everything We Can
