The price of ice cream from vans has seen a significant increase, a trend dubbed 'iceflation'. A survey commissioned by Aldi found that British parents are spending an average of £50 per child on ice cream over the six-week summer holidays this year.
The average cost of a 99 ice cream is £2.65. However, prices can vary considerably, with one vendor outside the British Museum in London reportedly charging £7 for a single scoop with a flake. In contrast, a single scoop cone in Porthmadog, north Wales, costs £3.85, while the same item is £1.95 in Barton-on-Sea, Hampshire.
An Ice Cream Alliance spokesperson told the Daily Mail that "Almost every part of serving a 99 has become more expensive." Factors contributing to these price rises include increased costs for milk and chocolate, which the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit thinktank identifies as among the most climate-impacted foods. Additionally, the rising prices of diesel and electricity are affecting the operational costs for ice cream vans.