As the global pandemic shows little signs of slowing, several vending machine manufacturers and PayRange have partnered to reinvent the purchase transaction into a touch-free experience across the unattended retail industry, according to a press release.

While modern machines can offer contactless payment options such as Apple Pay and Google Pay, few are equipped to accept selection without physical contact resulting in the consumer still having to touch the machine’s keypad to complete the purchase.

PayRange organized an industry-wide effort to introduce a new touch-free experience leveraging the PayRange BluKey dongle that works with any MDB vending machine.

PayRange has developed an end-to-end solution that empowers consumers to not only digitally pay for their purchases, but also make their product selection three to six feet from the machine using the PayRange app, never having to touch the machine itself.

Vending equipment manufacturers that have committed to deploying the touchless solution with their upcoming firmware releases include Automatic Merchandising Systems, Crane Merchandising Systems, Fastcorp, Vendo Sanden and Wittern Group. In addition, Vendors Exchange International will include the protocol in the universal control board it manufactures which can upgrade nearly any vending machine made in the last 30 years.