New Report: Vending Contradictions--Snack and Beverage Options on Public Property
A first-of-its-kind national study of 853 vending machines on 260 state and local public properties found that the machines were stocked primarily with unhealthy food and beverage options such as soda, candy, chips, cookies, snack cakes, and other sweet baked goods. The study, released recently by the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), examined vending machines in agency buildings, state university and community college buildings, recreation facilities, city and town halls, courthouses, highway rest stops, and other public spaces. Fifty-eight percent of beverages sold were soda or other sugar-sweetened beverages, and only 42 percent were healthier options such as water (16 percent), low-calorie beverages (23 percent), and 100 percent juice (3 percent).