A vending machine for dispensing discrete products from a dispensing cavity, wherein the vending machine comprises at least one storage container for products to be dispensed and a dispensing assembly; wherein the storage container includes a plurality of baffles (30,31,32,33) to support products within the container and direct flow of products from the storage container to the dispensing assembly; wherein the dispensing assembly comprises a dispensing cylinder (40,80) mounted for rotation within or adjacent a lower portion of the storage container, intermediate the storage container and the dispensing cavity; wherein the dispensing cylinder is a dispensing cylinder comprising a shaft having a plurality of axial dividing walls or vanes dividing the cylinder into a plurality of axial product-receiving cavities, or is a dispensing cylinder comprising a plurality of radially arranged rods; wherein the dispensing assembly includes indexing means adapted to cause stepwise rotation of the dispensing cylinder (40,80); and wherein the indexing means comprises at least one indexing disc and the dispensing assembly further comprises an actuator arm mounted for reciprocal motion; wherein the indexing disc comprises a toothed disc or gear; the actuator arm has a distal end adapted sequentially, in use, to engage and bear against a tooth of the toothed disc to advance the dispensing cylinder (40,80); wherein the actuator arm has a proximal end mounted to a reciprocatable member, wherein the reciprocatable member is moveable between a first configuration in which the distal end of the arm does not bear against a respective tooth of the toothed disc and a second configuration in which distal end of the arm bears against a tooth to advance the cylinder (40,80) by said rotation, and wherein the reciprocatable member has a fixed length of travel between the first configuration and the second configuration; and wherein the storage cavity is provided with a base; characterised in that the reciprocatable member is arranged, as it moves between the first configuration and the second configuration, to push products along the base to the dispensing cylinder (40,80). wherein the dispensing assembly comprises a dispensing cylinder (40,80) mounted for rotation within or adjacent a lower portion of the storage container, intermediate the storage container and the dispensing cavity; wherein the dispensing cylinder is a dispensing cylinder comprising a shaft having a plurality of axial dividing walls or vanes dividing the cylinder into a plurality of axial product-receiving cavities, or is a dispensing cylinder comprising a plurality of radially arranged rods; wherein the dispensing assembly includes indexing means adapted to cause stepwise rotation of the dispensing cylinder (40,80); and wherein the indexing means comprises at least one indexing disc and the dispensing assembly further comprises an actuator arm mounted for reciprocal motion; wherein the indexing disc comprises a toothed disc or gear; the actuator arm has a distal end adapted sequentially, in use, to engage and bear against a tooth of the toothed disc to advance the dispensing cylinder (40,80); wherein the actuator arm has a proximal end mounted to a reciprocatable member, wherein the reciprocatable member is moveable between a first configuration in which the distal end of the arm does not bear against a respective tooth of the toothed disc and a second configuration in which distal end of the arm bears against a tooth to advance the cylinder (40,80) by said rotation, and wherein the reciprocatable member has a fixed length of travel between the first configuration and the second configuration; and wherein the storage cavity is provided with a base; characterised in that the reciprocatable member is arranged, as it moves between the first configuration and the second configuration, to push products along the base to the dispensing cylinder (40,80).