‘Smart’ vending machines drive Japanese nicotine-fiends to convenience stores
New ’smart’ vending machines, which require ID before dispensing devil-weed, have driven the Japan’s smoking populace to convenience stores – leading to double-digit returns. Wonder if the convenience store lobby in Japan helped push that legislation through…
Vending machines began to require the special smart ID card, called Taspo, in certain areas of the country from March and the requirement now covers all areas of Japan.
“To be frank, the Taspo factor is the top reason for the growth,” said a source at one of the companies, who declined to be identified.
Convenience store chains, wary of anti-smoking sentiment, have been reluctant to refer publicly to the windfall nature of their sales boost.
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