I remember reading an article many, many years ago regarding this. The information is now out of date, but still interesting. At the time of the article, America had one vending machine per 46 people. Japan had one vending machine per 23 people. Do the math.
In the past I have done a lot of work hauling vending machines, primarily Sanyo and National. The company I work for now hauls a lot of Sanden vending machines, but I don't haul them myself.
Vending machines used to tend to be huge beasts that were prepared for shipping in their own wooden frames. You really had to be a screwup in order to tip one over or damage one in shipment. Unfortunately, their size (specifically their depth) had for years been causing a major nuisance in Japanese cities, with their many narrow roads and often sliver-thin or nonexistent sidewalks. The machines often took up large portions of the sidewalk, or in some places even protruded into roads. Tokyo, I believe it was, implemented strict rules to curb this problem and manufacturers scrambled to introduce the slim machines that you see all over the place in Japan today.
The problem, at least so far as transporting them goes, was that they lacked stability and would easily tip over either while being moved on a forklift or being hauled on a truck. Vending machine makers consider this the trucking companies' problem, not theirs.
Adding to the problem was the elimination of the sturdy wooden frame packing on the machines. The major benefit of this packing was that it allowed the machine to be tied down firmly with a rope, preventing the machines from tipping over during transit. In the interest of cost reduction and ecology the packing has degenerated to a little styrofoam and cardboard cap placed atop the machine, and a miniscule wooden (or often cardboard!) base. The cap collapses under the pressure of a rope and transporting them safely usually is a matter of do your best and pray for the rest. Personally, I'm damned glad I don't haul the things anymore.
