Vending machines have become a widespread phenomenon in Sweden in recent years, as vending machines are forced to close due to factors such as tough economic conditions and the transition to electric cars.
In April, the OKQ8 station in Värmland’s Hagfors was forced to file for bankruptcy, and Thomas Anderssonnewly appointed CEO of OKQ8 Värmland, does not see the future of the sandwiches brightly.
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“People don’t have money anymore”
It was in April that customers were greeted by a sign announcing that the OKQ8 deli in Hagfors was closed, which Värmland’s Folkblad reported on.
The Mack manager Erik Helgesson has run the deli for four years, and must have had to fight hard to get the finances together. He sees several explanations for the difficult situation for the macs.
– People have no money anymore. There has been a pandemic, there is war going on in the outside world and high interest rates. Then the buying trend goes down and the result will be accordingly, he says Värmland Folkblad.
According to Erik Helgesson, the bankruptcy of the OKQ8 deli in Hagfors, which last year had a turnover of SEK 39 million and only earned SEK 178,000.
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Is the last sandwich built in Sweden?
The announcement of the bankruptcy came shortly after that Thomas Andersson took office as CEO at OKQ8 Värmland.
The newly appointed CEO predicts big changes for the industry in the coming years, when more and more deli shops will be forced to close as plug-in hybrids and electric cars take over the market.
– I think the last gas station is built in Sweden, he says to Värmland’s Folkblad.
Furthermore, he explains that it is extremely cost-intensive to keep a gas station in operation, not least because of the extensive regulations that apply.
Instead, OKQ8 invests heavily in installing fast chargers on its sandwiches, and would rather invest in this than build new gas stations.
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