2 verifications about vending machines vending machines ×
“The annual number of people killed by vending machines worldwide exceeds the annual number of people killed by sharks.”
This claim is not supported by current evidence. While it circulates widely as a fun fact, it relies on outdated U.S. data from 1978–1995. The most authoritative modern source (Cloudpick's Blog, citing safety databases) reports zero vending machine fatalities worldwide since 2008. Meanwhile, the Florida Museum's International Shark Attack File confirms 12 shark-related deaths in 2025 alone, with a long-term average of 6–10 per year. There is no credible, current data showing vending machines kill more people annually than sharks.
“More people are killed annually by vending machines than by sharks worldwide.”
This popular claim lacks reliable support. Shark fatalities are well-documented at roughly 6–12 deaths per year worldwide. However, there is no credible, current global dataset for vending machine deaths—estimates range wildly from zero (since 2008) to 2–3 per year to an unverified "13 annually," mostly drawn from outdated U.S.-only data from the 1978–1995 era. The best available evidence suggests sharks now kill as many or more people annually worldwide than vending machines do, making this claim misleading.