Mechanism for containing and extracting products for vending machines, especially for boxed products, comprising a channel (1) containing the boxed products (4), a pusher (5) that displaces the boxed products towards a front extraction position, a hatch (2) that closes the upper part of the channel and that may be displaced between a completely closed position and a rear partially open position at which it defines an upper extraction opening (3), lifting means for the product unit (4') located at the front extraction position and actuating means for the upper hatch (2) and for the aforementioned lifting means.