Britain's third heatwave of the summer has coincided with a sharp rise in ice cream prices, with some vendors charging up to £7 for a single scoop cone. Temperatures have soared across the nation, with some areas in the southeast experiencing highs of 36C.
The soaring costs are particularly noticeable in tourist hotspots. A van named 'Delicious Ice Cream' located outside the British Museum in central London was found to be selling a basic vanilla ice cream cone with a flake for £7. Prices are not displayed on the van's menu, and staff confirmed that even higher prices have been observed elsewhere.
This trend extends beyond London, with traditional '99' ice cream cones, which typically include a chocolate flake, reportedly selling for £6. At the recent British Grand Prix at Silverstone, vendors were charging £5 for the same treat.
According to a study by credit card company Zable, the average price for a single scoop cone in Britain is nearing £4. Porthmadog in North Wales recorded the highest average price at £3.85, followed by Brighton at £3.71. This means a family of four could spend over £15 on single scoops alone.
Conversely, the study identified Barton-on-Sea in Hampshire as one of the most affordable locations, with a single scoop costing £1.95 and two scoops priced at £3.55. Tynemouth in North Tyneside followed, averaging £2.28 for a single scoop.
Several factors contribute to the increased prices, including rising staff wages, energy and fuel costs for mobile operators, and the expense of packaging and environmental compliance. The current heatwave, which began on Monday, is expected to continue for up to 14 days in some regions. Amber and yellow heat health alerts have been issued by the UK Health Security Agency for parts of England.
This follows a summer marked by previous heatwaves, including one in late June that saw a record temperature of 37.7C set in Lingwood, Norfolk, and another in May that reached 35.1C in Kew, London, surpassing the previous May record from 1922.