Prices for everything are slowly rising, but when ice cream prices go up and the heat outside exceeds 30°C, it is very disturbing.
Photo: Vladimir VELENGURIN. Go to Photobank KP
Prices for everything are slowly rising, but when ice cream prices rise and the temperature outside exceeds 30°C, it is very disturbing. And, unfortunately, ice cream is becoming more and more expensive – analysts of the Kontur.Market service came to this disappointing conclusion after studying the development of prices and demand for this delicacy throughout the year. The sample included 50 million receipts from shops across Russia.
In May-June 2024, compared to May-June 2023, the price for all types of ice cream increased. Among the leaders: ice cream in a cone (+26%), popsicle (+21%) and sorbet – a frozen mix of berries, fruits and milk (+18%). The price of fruit ice cream increased slightly (+3%) (for more details, see the “Specifics” section). At the same time, fruit ice cream remains one of the leaders in sales – more than 62%. Behind them, by a wide margin, are Eskimos (about 20%).
Ice cream remains Russians’ favorite summer treat. Its consumption is increasing (and amounts to more than 3.5 kg per person per year – according to the Statista Global Consumer study for 2022 – Ed). According to Marina Petrova, general director of Petrova 5 Consulting, the production and consumption of healthy ice creams are growing especially rapidly: these are low-calorie sorbets and sorbets.
“The increase in the cost of ice cream is associated with an increase in the cost of raw materials,” explains the expert. – First of all, butter and cream, which are used for the production of fatty ice cream, for example ice cream. Furthermore, processing companies, despite successful import substitution of a number of components, still face sanctions related to components, lines and packaging materials. And we must not forget that the cost of cocoa beans has doubled; As a result, all types of ice cream covered with chocolate or chocolate glaze also show an increase in cost.
An important factor remains the increase in fuel prices observed in Russia. All these factors lead to an increase in ice cream prices. As for fruit ice cream and sorbets, the dairy component is minimal and the price increase is not so significant. By the way, in 5 years, according to Rosstat, the average cost of a kilogram of ice cream has increased by 58%: from 460 rubles in 2020 to 727 rubles in 2024.
Lyudmila Manitskaya, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors and Director of the Dairy Trade Union of Russia, draws attention to the fact that there is a gradual but widespread increase in the costs of ice cream production, including equipment, ingredients, wages, etc.
“The Russian ice cream market is represented mainly by domestic producers; ice cream imports are limited to only 2% of domestic production (imports of about 10,000 tons per year against production of more than 500,000 tons per year), says Lyudmila Manitskaya. – Therefore, ice cream producers have the opportunity to pursue a pricing policy aimed at obtaining maximum profits necessary for further development of production and increase in its volumes.
We must not forget that summer (peak ice cream consumption) and heat in large consumer centers (Moscow and other cities) allow for higher prices. In addition, a large part of the retail price is occupied by trade margins of retail chains, which reach 25%-50% or more. Therefore, the study of ice cream price fluctuations, like that of other dairy products, should be carried out taking into account price setting in trade, and not only in ice cream production.
