Popular ice creams including Cornetto and Solero have jumped in price by up to 38 per cent in the past two years, according to Which? research.
Overall grocery price inflation currently stands at 1.6 per cent, according to market analysts Kantar. But that figure disguises the huge rise in the price of many groceries over the past two years.
Which? compared ice cream costs at the UK’s biggest supermarkets in the two months to 8 July 2024 with the same period two years ago, and found some branded products had seen huge price increases.
The findings are released as Which? reveals the results of its latest strawberry ice cream cone and tropical flavoured ice cream taste tests that have found cheaper and tastier supermarket own-brand options that are available to consumers.
The biggest price increase Which? found was Cornetto strawberry ice cream cones x6 (540ml). This product rose from £2.57 to £3.55, an increase of 38 per cent between 2022 and 2024.
The consumer champion found that Cornetto Classico cone x6 (540ml) increased in price by a similar amount, 35 per cent, from £2.57 to £3.48 during the same time period.
Solero Exotic ice cream lollies x3 (270ml) also saw a 35 per cent price increase from £2.03 to £2.75.
Feast chocolate ice creams x4 (360ml) jumped by 28 per cent in price from £2.42 to £3.11.
Another product that Which? found had increased in price was Fab strawberry fruity lollies ice cream x6 (348ml). The lollies rose from £1.97 to £2.43, an increase of 23 per cent.
Consumers buying Rowntree’s products have also been subjected to price rises. Rowntree’s Fruit Pastilles lollies x4 (260ml) went from £2 to £2.43 – up 22 per cent, while Rowntree’s watermelon lollies x4 (292ml) increased from £2.03 to £2.47 – up 21 per cent.
When looking for price increases, one product that the consumer champion found had actually gone down in price (albeit minimally) was Magnum’s double gold caramel billionaire x3 (255ml). The box went from £3.72 to £3.63, which is a price cut of two per cent.
All prices were averages across the major supermarkets they were available in for the two months to July 8 2024, compared to the same period in 2022 and include regular discounts but not multibuys or loyalty prices.
Unilever owns the Cornetto, Feast, Solero, and Magnum brands. Nestlé owns the Rowntree’s and Fab brands.
Rising prices in raw ingredients such as milk and sugar, combined with high energy and transportation costs have contributed to price increases.
