COCA-Cola Amatil is preparing tenders to install 70,000 smart-card readers in vending machines throughout Australia and New Zealand over the next four years.

Coke's senior project manager for vending machines in Australasia, Peter Hasko , said 1000 smart card-equipped Coke vending machines would begin operating in Adelaide and in other selected locations in the first quarter of next year.

"We are in the process of putting out tenders and have had no responses yet," Mr Hasko said.

"Smart Cards offer Coke the opportunity to provide a better service where customers don't need the correct change, although initially these vending machines will take cash and smart cards.

"Our attitude is that smart cards will help boost sales, although we don't want to install card readers that can read every card, as that would cost us a fortune.

"Instead, Coke is going to select which card is appropriate in each location. At the moment, the trial vending machines will only be equipped to read Telstra's Chipper card and Visa Cash, as they are the only two cards in the market."

It is understood Western Australia's health insurer HBF, which is about to roll out 750,000 cards, has expressed an interest.

Mr Hasko said he hoped smart cards would increase vending machines' reliability, for people who were "reluctant to put money in after a bad experience".

"The card readers will be capable of accepting up to four different smart cards, but that doesn't mean that we will use all four," he said.