During the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for ice cream increased sharply worldwide.
Many wanted to treat themselves to something good as a reward, Jacob Posada, an analyst at research firm Ibis World, told Bloomberg.
Meanwhile, ingredient costs have risen as supply chain disruptions have increased. Dairy products have become 20 percent more expensive between 2020 and 2025, and the price of eggs has skyrocketed by over 600 percent.
In the US, the price at ice cream kiosks has risen by 35 percent since 2019.
Psychology and energy prices
In addition to ingredients, psychology and demand also affect prices, according to David Ortega, a food economist at Michigan State University.
"You may be heading to Florida for a vacation this summer, but a $7 ice cream is something you treat yourself to," he told the news agency.
In recent months, the industry has been hit by rising energy prices. The ice cream must be transported in refrigerated trucks, stored in freezers and preferably sold in stores with air conditioning.
Demand for data centers has driven up electricity costs in the United States, and the Iran war has pushed up gasoline and diesel prices, writes Bloomberg.
"It's been very shocking," says Chad Townsend, co-founder of the American ice cream chain Millie's Homemade.
Similar increase in Sweden
In Sweden, the price of ice cream has made a similar journey – during the period May 2019 to May 2026, the increase is 27 percent, according to Statistics Sweden's index.
If you instead count up to March, before the temporary reduction in food VAT, the price of ice cream has increased as much as in the US – by 35 percent.
SCB's index covers the most common ice cream products in Swedish grocery stores, and consists of approximately 1,500 observations per month that include ice cream bars, multi-packs and ice cream packages from different brands.
The index does not include ice cream sold at kiosks or in restaurants.
