Parents to spend nearly £50 per child on ice creams this summer – but that’s not all | UK | News

July 30, 2026 3,477

Parents will fork out almost £50 per child on ice creams over the summer holidays – with one in 10 paying as much as £4 a cone from an ice cream van. The majority of parents (85%) believe that paying 99p for a whippy ice cream is a thing of the past. And according to the poll of 2,000 parents the average price of the treat is now £2.65.

Those in Leeds are paying the most at £2.86 a time, followed by London (£2.82), Bristol and Manchester (both £2.80). In Leeds, 18% of parents say they pay at least £4 each time they buy a cone – more than in any other UK city.

The average child will tuck into three ice creams a week over the summer holidays, bringing the total to £47.70 over the six-week break. To help cover the costs, one in three parents have skipped buying an ice cream for themselves, meanwhile, a quarter have even told their child that the ice cream van has run out of ice cream to avoid the expense.

The research was commissioned by Aldi, which surprised families this week with a ‘Summer Cool Down ice cream van’ in London, which gave out free ice creams.

Julie Ashfield, chief commercial officer for the supermarket brand, said: “Summer holidays are becoming increasingly expensive for families, with the cost of everyday treats and activities quickly adding up.

“With so many families budgeting months in advance and worrying about costs, it’s never been more important that everyday essentials and family favourites remain affordable.

“That’s why we’re committed to keeping prices low on popular summer products as we know it can make a real difference, helping families enjoy the holiday period without having to compromise on the moments that matter most.”

The research revealed families spend an additional £200 on average compared to term time. An extra £49 is spent on weekly grocery bills, while parents anticipate they’ll spend an average of £134 on eating out, £105 on holiday clubs and £132 on tickets on day trips.

But even staying closer to home comes at a cost, with at-home activities, such as arts and crafts, setting parents back £70 on average over the break.

As a result, a third of parents worry about the cost, while 30% budget in advance so they can do more with their children – with 21% starting as early as January.

It also emerged 38% want to give their children the best summer possible but feel limited by what they can afford.

To help support families through the school holidays, Aldi has made further price cuts to more than 300 family favourites as part of its wider £300 million investment to lower prices on more than 1,000 products this year.

It has also launched a Summer Support Scheme, giving away £50 shops to families every day throughout July and August.