Press Release - September 2026

• Revenue generated by the operation of vending machines for food, drinks and tobacco reached €2.9 billion in 2025, up 4.3% year-over-year.

• Food and drinks vending machines generated turnover of €1.48 billion (+7.2%), supported by the strong performance of hot drinks machines, which came to account for 55% of this market.

• INFORMA's DBK Sectoral Observatory recently published these insights in the ‘Vending’ Sectoral Report.

Madrid, 24 September 2026.- According to INFORMA's (Cesce's subsidiary) DBK Sectoral Observatory—a leading provider of business, financial, sectoral, and marketing information in Spain and Portugal—turnover from the operation of vending machines for food, drinks and tobacco stood at €2.9 billion in 2025, up 4.3% year-over-year, after rising 6.3% in the previous fiscal year.

Thus, the latest year-end was marked by continued growth in vending demand, supported by positive private spending. However, growth rates showed continued slowing compared with previous years, a trajectory that could remain in place in the short to medium term.

Over 350,000 machines in operation in the food and drinks vending machines segment generated total revenue of around €1.48 billion in 2025, up 7.2% from 2024.

Hot drinks machines, with €820 million and growth of 7.9%, accounted for 55.4% of this business. Solid food and mixed machines took in €350 million (+7.7%) and cold drinks machines, €310 million (+5.1%).

By location type, captive vending accounted for 54.4% of the food and drinks market, exceeding €800 million, compared with 45.6% for public vending, which stood at €675 million. 

For tobacco vending machines, revenue came to €1.42 billion, up 1.4% year-over-year. However, the installed base continued to shrink, to around 90,200 units by mid-2026.

The vending machine operating business comprises numerous small operators with local operations, alongside a small group of larger companies with nationwide coverage. The latter expanded their presence in recent years via acquisitions and integration deals.

Despite the gradual move towards greater business concentration, the vending machine operating business remains highly fragmented. Thus, in 2025 the top five operators held a combined 12.8% share of total market value, while the figure was only close to 18% for the top ten competitors.

Data Synthesis, 2025