Using a blend of technology and data we created a vending machine like no other.

The Sending Machine is a digital vending machine that doesn’t dispense food but sends it straight to the local food bank making food donation smarter and more efficient.

Food bank stock data is collected and analysed and the Sending Machine updates in real-time, reconfiguring to display the products that are urgently required. Passers-by are able to send what’s really needed to those who really need it. Items are quickly purchased and donated using contactless payment technology. An online food retailer then delivers these items to the food bank.

One of the benefits of this streamlined process is that the delivery of the products can be synchronized with food bank distribution schedules. This means fresh food can be donated as well as the typical long-life products.

The UK is suffering from a food poverty crisis and it’s getting worse. More than 8 million people are struggling to put food on the table which has led to a 13% rise in food bank use. This has put a huge strain on food banks and their ability to consistently provide balanced and nutritious meals.

Food banks rely on the public for donations which they receive via physical donation points but this has led to supply issues:

• At specified drop points for pre-purchased items, food banks often receive too many of certain products and not enough of other essential items.

• At prompted drop points commonly at supermarkets, they are often past the point of purchase which results in fewer donations or donations that aren’t actually needed.

We set out to create something that triggered people to donate and only send what is actually needed.

The Sending Machine is a digital vending machine that comprises of a touch screen display and touch payment device.

Working with a local food bank, we created a set of products that represented their major stock categories. Designed and rendered in 3D, these populate the screen reminiscent of a vending machine.

Depending on food bank stock levels, products can be dynamically removed from the display and replaced with other in demand items.

All it takes is two taps to make a donation. Tapping the product on the screen selects it. Tapping a credit card, debit card or pay enabled smartphone on the payment device makes the purchase. The donation is confirmed by an on-screen animation that sees the product ‘sent’ backwards.

The donated item is added to a communal checkout. When this reaches a designated threshold, an order is placed with an online retailer who delivers to the food bank.