By 2020, Hanoi will install and put into service about 1,000 more public vending machines in accordance with the capital city's commercial development, according to Hanoi’s portal.

The machines will be installed at the center of each inner-city district first or at crowded places such as stations, hospitals and schools, said Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Industry and Trade Tran Thi Phuong Lan.

The initial success in piloting the installation of vending machines in Hoan Kiem Lake and the surrounding areas has proven the advantages of this form of retail in crowded and narrowed areas.

After nearly three years of installing and putting into use, seven public vending machines around Hoan Kiem Lake and the surroundings, coupled with other six machines on some Hanoi’s streets received positive feedback from the locals and tourists who have enjoyed its convenience and practical benefits.

Each machine requiring a space of just 1.2 square meters is able to contain about 300 items with the costs ranging from VND5,000 (US$0.2) to VND10,000 (US$0.4) and offer customers convenient and easy buy.

According to VVM Investment and Trading Joint Stock Company, which specializes in providing automatic machines, each machine on average earns about VND50 million (US$2,100) in revenue monthly.

These machines also helped wipe out a number of illegal groceries and hawkers selling at exorbitant prices to tourists.

Le Thi Hoa, a customer from Hanoi said that the machines were really handy thanks to its availability in some crowded streets including Hoan Kiem pedestrian zones.

Hoa expects the city would install more of this kind in other public spaces such as stations, hospitals, schools among others to serve the locals’ demand. Hanoitimes

Ha An