UK ice cream parlours, vans see £289m in income melt in 2020: survey

800 ice cream vans have gone out of business, ICA claims.

Ice cream parlours and vans have lost a total of £289 million in income during the pandemic in 2020, according to findings in a survey of Ice Cream Alliance (ICA) members.

800 ice cream vans have gone out of business whilst 90 ice cream parlours have shut, the trade association said.

The survey, which got members to respond in March 2021, also found that the government’s furlough scheme has helped ice cream businesses, with up to 62% of staff furloughed at some point during the pandemic.

“2020 was a challenging year for both ice cream parlours and ice cream vans. But the £289 million in lost income was just the tip of the iceberg when you add lost ice cream sales in cafes, restaurants and hotels and the economic impact to businesses along the supply chain – manufacturers, flavour houses, wholesalers and many others,” ICA CEO Zelica Carr said.

ICA launched its ‘Great British Ice Cream Staycation’ campaign in an attempt to help the sector claw back some of the lost revenue.