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Article: Cashless vending machines pop up, raising finance and health issues.
- Article from:
- Chicago Tribune (Chicago, IL)
- Article date:
- August 18, 2006
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Chicago Tribune. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Becky Yerak
CHICAGO _ The future of two great American pastimes _ consuming carbonated beverages and charging credit cards _ are likely to be increasingly intertwined as vending machines that accept plastic become more prevalent.
It's a concept that inevitably raises questions about when a convenience might go from being a convenience to being an enabler, encouraging consumers to drink more soda, or buy more candy, while spending money they don't necessarily have.
Within the past week, MasterCard and a Coca-Cola bottling company have finished rolling out 1,000 cashless vending machines in the Philadelphia area so consumers with the urge ...