Ice cream parlours and ice cream vans have lost a total of £289 million (GBP) in income during the pandemic in 2020.*

800 ice cream vans have gone out of business*.

90 ice cream parlours have shut.*

These are just some of the findings in a survey of Ice Cream Alliance (ICA) members – the trade association for the ice cream sector – undertaken in recent weeks.

The survey also found that the governments Furlough Scheme has been a life saver for many 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 £289million 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.” comments ICA CEO Zelica Carr.

To help the sector claw back some of that lost revenue the ICA is launching its ‘Great British Ice Cream Staycation’ campaign. It is all about reminding people what a delicious, fun, happy and affordable treat ice cream is and what iconic childhood memories it generates. Of course, it is also about supporting all involved in the ice cream industry.

Zelica Carr concludes: “The ICA was founded just before the end of the Second World War to promote a fledgling sector during the post-war years. The ice cream industry successfully expanded since then but has faced its biggest threat since the war from the pandemic. We felt the ICA had to play a major role in helping our sector to recover and flourish again.”

*The ICA surveyed members in March 2021


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Further information:
Simon Brookes
BoroughPR
07740 428 952 / simon@boroughpr.co.uk