Venditalia 2026: the vending industry’s journey towards a sustainable future

Sustainability in vending is now an integral part of industrial decision-making across the supply chain. It is no longer about isolated initiatives, but a shared journey involving companies, associations and the trade fair organisers, with concrete actions in energy, logistics, product offerings and materials management.
In Italy, the sector encompasses approximately 830,000 vending machines and over 4 billion transactions each year, figures that make every step towards particularly significant efficient and responsible management models.

The Sustainable Vending project by CONFIDA 

Within this context, the Sustainable Vending project, promoted by CONFIDA, has been launched to gather and showcase the environmental best practices developed by companies in the automatic distribution sector. Data shows that sustainability has now become a widespread focus: 80% of companies use energy from renewable sources, 78% have adopted environmental management systems and around 60% have defined development plans dedicated to sustainability. Attention to circular supply chains is also increasing, with 41% of companies involved in circular economy programmes and 31% using electric vehicles for operational activities.

RiVending: recycling of cups and bottles

A key initiative within this framework is RiVending, promoted by CONFIDA, COREPLA, and UNIONPLAST, which introduced a dedicated collection model for PS cups and PET bottles in vending. The project continues to grow: in 2025, 93 million coffee cups were collected and sent for recycling an 18.7% increase compared to the previous year, resulting in an estimated saving of over 638 tonnes of CO₂. Today, RiVending is active in 3,049 companies, with 16,882 dedicated bins installed alongside vending machines. At Venditalia 2026, the project will have a dedicated desk to meet operators and companies interested in developing circular economy models in the sector.

Sustainability and innovation at the Rimini Expo Centre

Sustainability is also reflected in the venue hosting the event. The Rimini Expo Centre, managed by Italian Exhibition Group, has been developed over the years with a strong focus on energy efficiency and environmental impact reduction, thanks to investments in photovoltaic systems, consumption monitoring systems and projects dedicated to sustainable event management. This aligns perfectly with the sector’s evolution and the expectations of an audience increasingly attentive to environmental issues.

Venditalia 2026 will therefore also offer the opportunity to observe firsthand how sustainability, innovation and industrial responsibility can progress together throughout the entire vending supply chain. The event will take place at the Rimini Expo Centre (Italy) from 6-8 May 2026, showcasing solutions, projects and technologies that are guiding vending towards an increasingly sustainable future.

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