‘A 99 with a Flake? That will be £7, please’: what’s behind the surge in ice-cream van prices?
Summary
British parents are spending an average of £50 per child on ice-cream during the six-week summer holidays, according to a survey of 2,000 parents commissioned by Aldi. The average cost of a 99 ice cream has risen to £2.65, but prices vary significantly, with one vendor outside the British Museum charging £7 for a single scoop with a Flake. A survey of 33 seaside resorts by credit card company Zable found a single-scoop cone in Porthmadog, north Wales, costing £3.85, while Barton-on-Sea in Hampshire offered a more reasonable £1.95. The surge in prices, dubbed "iceflation," is driven by rising costs for milk, chocolate, diesel, and electricity, as well as the climate impact of these ingredients.
Key points
- A survey of 2,000 British parents found they are spending £50 per child on ice-cream over the six-week summer holidays.
- The average cost of a 99 ice cream is £2.65, but prices range from £1.95 in Barton-on-Sea to £7 outside the British Museum.
- A survey of 33 seaside resorts by Zable found a single-scoop cone in Porthmadog costing £3.85.
- Milk and chocolate are among the five most climate-impacted foods, and ice-cream vans face rising diesel and electricity costs.
- A 2005 Harvard study found men who ate two or more servings of ice-cream a week had a 22% lower risk of diabetes.
Timeline
Two eight-year-olds went viral on TikTok complaining about paying £9 for two screwballs.
A survey of 2,000 British parents found they are spending £50 per child on ice-cream over the six-week summer holidays.
“Almost every part of serving a 99 has become more expensive.”
Background
In the 18th century, ice-cream was a popular treat for all classes in Naples, and "penny licks" democratised it as a street treat in Victorian Britain.
Why it matters
The rising cost of ice-cream, driven by climate and energy shocks, is impacting family budgets during the summer holidays.
What's next
Scientists are sceptical about the