Britain's third heatwave of the summer has driven ice cream prices to new heights, with a single scoop cone in central London fetching as much as £7. Temperatures in the capital exceeded 30C (86F) on Thursday and Friday as the heatwave intensified.
A vendor operating from a van named 'Delicious Ice Cream' outside the British Museum was observed charging £7 for a basic vanilla ice cream cone with one scoop and a flake. Menus at this particular vendor did not display prices. Staff from the museum confirmed that even higher prices have been seen from other vendors.
Traditional '99' ice cream cones, typically including a chocolate flake, are reportedly selling for £6 in some areas. Last weekend, vendors at the British Grand Prix in Silverstone were selling the same item for £5. A study by credit card company Zable indicated the average price for a single scoop cone in Britain is nearing £4.
The most expensive location for a single scoop, according to the Zable study, is Porthmadog in North Wales, averaging £3.85. Brighton followed at £3.71, with New Brighton in Merseyside at £3.70 and Aberystwyth at £3.65.
On the more affordable end, Barton-on-Sea in Hampshire offers a single scoop for £1.95 and two scoops for £3.55. Tynemouth in North Tyneside averaged £2.28 for a single scoop, with Ilfracombe in Devon at £2.30 and Portree in Scotland also at £2.30.
Factors contributing to the increased costs for vendors include rising staff wages, energy and fuel prices for mobile operators, and the cost of packaging and environmental compliance. The current heatwave officially began on Monday, with meteorologists suggesting it could persist for up to two weeks in some regions. Amber and yellow heat health alerts were issued by the UK Health Security Agency for the Midlands and southern England as temperatures reached 35C (95F) in some locations.
This follows a record-breaking June heatwave where temperatures reached 37.7C (99.9F) in Lingwood, Norfolk. May also saw a record heatwave, with a high of 35.1C (95.2F) in Kew, London, surpassing the previous record of 32.8C (91F) set in 1922.
James Goforth, product manager at Zable, noted that ice cream prices can vary significantly by location. He added that in the most expensive areas, a simple treat for a family of four could exceed £15 for a single scoop each, before additional costs like travel and food are factored in. Goforth suggested that limited competition in some smaller seaside villages can drive prices up, similar to those found in larger tourist destinations.