10th May 2021
The Co-op has teamed up with Unilever to launch what is claimed to be the UK’s first consumer-facing smart vending machine for ice cream.
The interactive ‘Walls’ branded machine in the Co-op’s Battersea Bridge Road store in London stocks a range of ices, including the retailer’s own Fairtrade Choc Stick alongside Unilever-owned brands such as Magnum Vegan Stick, Walls Twister, Solero Exotic Lolly, Calippo, and Ben & Jerry’s Peace Pop.
By tapping their phone on the NFC tag on the vending machine shoppers are asked to confirm their payment method, including Apple Pay and Google Pay. Once confirmed, the freezer door unlocks to allow the customer to select their favourite ice cream, with a combination of cameras and sensors ensuring the machine charges customers for only the products they have picked.