Inflation: Consumers treat themselves to less ice cream

This year's prices could spoil some people's enjoyment of ice cream. Nearly two-thirds of people in Germany consider them too high, according to a representative YouGov survey commissioned by the dpa news agency. Six out of ten people are "always" or "occasionally" ordering fewer scoops than they did five years ago due to the increased prices. For 28 percent, however, the price of ice cream has no influence on the number of scoops they order. Most buy two (50 percent) or three (23 percent).

In some regions of Germany, ice cream has become more expensive compared to last year, says Annalisa Carnio, spokesperson for the Association of Italian Ice Cream Producers in Germany (Uniteis): "Some ice cream parlors have raised their prices." Prices for a scoop of ice cream fluctuate considerably, she says. It's more expensive in an ice cream parlor with a large terrace and plenty of staff in the center of a big city than in a small ice cream parlor in the countryside. The range extends from €1.30 in rural areas to €2.80 in big cities like Hamburg or Munich. Overall, however, the price level is relatively stable.

Uniteis represents the interests of 900 members with approximately 2,000 ice cream parlors that produce their own ice cream. The total number of establishments in Germany is higher. According to the German Hotel and Restaurant Association (Dehoga), there were around 5,000 in 2023.