Snack dilemma: How vending machines influence choice of virtue and vice foods

This research investigates consumer decision-making in vending machine settings, focusing on choosing between vice (less healthy) and virtue (healthier) products. The study identifies key drivers that influence purchases and explains these choices through construal-level theory. By analyzing real transaction data from 13,709 purchases, we examine how product familiarity, price, payment method, time of day, and product placement affect consumer behavior. The results reveal that product familiarity and price significantly influence the selection of vice products. Conversely, placing virtue products on higher rows and the right-hand side of the vending machine enhances their likelihood of being chosen. Furthermore, the context of vending machine locations, including workplaces, universities, and hospitals, uniquely shapes the dynamics between vice and virtue product choices. These findings, interpreted through construal level theory, provide actionable insights for optimizing vending machine layouts and promoting healthier consumer behaviors. Ultimately, this research contributes to retailing and public health by providing strategies to promote healthier choices in environments where vending machines are prevalent.