The new machines reportedly generate 12 per cent less greenhouse gas emissions than current machines, and use carbon dioxide instead of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) as the refrigerant.
"Many people don't realize that the largest part of a vending machine's greenhouse gas emissions - about 95 per cent, in fact - come from the energy required to run it," said Robert Lewis, VP of packaging and equipment development for PepsiCo. "The insulating foam and refrigerant gases are responsible for the rest, and we're committed to reducing all parts of the equation."
The company claims to be testing thousands of machines around the world that rely on other green refrigerants like isobutane and propane that also have a lower climate impact than HFCs.
"This field test will help us evaluate the performance and reliability of these new machines in a real-world environment. We hope to get a sneak preview of what sustainable refrigeration could look like on a larger scale," said Lewis.