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PepsiCo Turkey launches mobile phone technology for vending machines

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

This story ran in PEPline, PepsiCo’s global employee newsletter, and is proudly brought to you by a PepsiCo employee or a friend or family member of a PepsiCo employee.

PepsiCo Turkey recently introduced new vending machine technology which allows consumers to buy drinks via their mobile telephones for the first time. To buy a beverage, consumers simply hold their specially equipped mobile phone near the point-of-sale reader on selected vending machines. Their registered credit card is then charged via their mobile phone network as the drink is dispensed. 

The application uses near-field-communication (NFC) technology to read information stored on the mobile telephone. NFC operates in a similar way to Bluetooth or wireless internet technology, and works to a distance of approximately four centimetres.

So far, 1,200 NFC-equipped PepsiCo vending machines have been distributed to sales points across Turkey, including universities, hospitals and subway stations. The figure is set to almost double in January 2012, as an additional 1,100 will be installed across the country.

"Always an innovator, PepsiCo offers enjoyable shopping opportunities with its brand new NFC-equipped vending machines," said Erdem Çakır, director, Sales - PepsiCo Turkey Beverages (pictured above with one of the updated vending machines). "The simplicity of this technology means it’s likely to grow, as more manufacturers release NFC-equipped mobile telephones and other gadgets. The technology is safe and secure, and provides an easy alternative to purchasing for those who do not want to carry coins."