Temperatures are rising - and so are ice cream prices
Temperatures are rising across the country, and so is the price of ice cream - but by how much?
By BBC News
A seaside ice cream is becoming another rising cost for families, with new analysis showing some coastal spots charging almost £4 for a single scoop.
Families planning summer days out could face another hit to their budgets as ice cream prices rise at some of the UK’s most popular seaside destinations.
New analysis by credit card company Zable found that Porthmadog in Gwynedd is the most expensive seaside location in the UK for ice cream, with a single scoop costing an average of £3.85.
A two-scoop cone in the North Wales town costs around £5.28, meaning a family of four could spend £15.40 on one scoop each or more than £21 if everyone chooses two scoops.
The figures are likely to matter to many Cheshire families, particularly those who travel to North Wales, Wirral, Merseyside and other coastal spots during warm weekends and school holidays.
New Brighton, a popular day-trip destination for families from Cheshire and the wider North West, ranked third in the UK table. Zable’s research put the average price of a single scoop there at £3.70, with a two-scoop cone costing around £4.70.
The research comes as the UK experiences an unusually warm spell for May. The Met Office said the Bank Holiday weekend would bring an exceptional spell of warmth, with highs of up to 33C forecast in parts of the country.
For households already watching spending carefully, the price of an ice cream may seem small on its own. But it is exactly the kind of extra cost that turns a simple day out into something more expensive.
Travel, parking, food, drinks and treats can quickly add up, especially for families with more than one child.
The cheapest seaside location in Zable’s analysis was Barton-on-Sea in Hampshire, where a single scoop averaged £1.95. That is almost half the average price found in Porthmadog.
Other expensive coastal spots included Brighton, Aberystwyth, Bournemouth, Salcombe, Whitstable, Tenby, Padstow, Margate, Hastings, Skegness and St Ives.
Zable said its research looked at 33 UK seaside locations and compared the cost of one-scoop and two-scoop cones at top-rated ice cream parlours. Prices were gathered in May 2026.
The wider trend reflects the pressure facing both customers and food businesses.
Ice cream sellers have been dealing with higher costs for ingredients, energy, labour, transport and packaging. Many of the same cost pressures affecting cafés, restaurants and food producers also apply to seaside ice cream shops.
Earlier consumer research by Which? found that several popular supermarket ice creams and lollies had risen by more than 30% over two years. The Guardian’s report on that research said costs for producers had risen on energy, labour, transport and ingredients including milk, cocoa and sugar.
Official data also shows businesses are still facing pressure before products reach the customer. The Office for National Statistics said producer input prices rose by 7.7% in the year to April 2026, while factory gate prices rose by 4.0%.
That helps explain why small treats are no longer immune from the cost-of-living squeeze.
For Cheshire families, the practical point is not that people should stop buying ice creams. It is that even traditional low-cost pleasures now need to be factored into a day-out budget.
A trip to the seaside used to feel like one of the more affordable family options. But once fuel, train fares, parking, lunch and treats are added together, the total can surprise parents.
There are still ways to keep costs down. Families can compare destinations, take drinks and snacks from home, set a treat budget before leaving, or choose one larger shared purchase rather than buying multiple extras throughout the day.
Supermarket multipacks can also be much cheaper than buying individual ice creams at tourist locations, although they do not replace the experience of a proper cone by the sea.
For local businesses, the situation is not simple either. Ice cream shops at tourist spots often face seasonal trading, higher rents, staffing costs and unpredictable weather. Many rely on busy sunny weekends to make up for quieter periods.
That means rising prices are not always just about profit. In many cases, they reflect the cost of keeping small hospitality businesses open.
Still, the figures show how sharply prices can vary depending on where families go. A single scoop at one seaside destination can cost nearly twice as much as at another.
For Cheshire households planning summer trips, that makes a little preparation worthwhile.
The warmer weather may bring more people to beaches, parks and visitor attractions, but the cost of a day out remains a real concern. Ice cream is only one small part of that picture, but it has become a clear symbol of how everyday family spending has changed.
What was once a small treat at the end of a day by the sea can now cost more than many parents expect.