Why your 99 now costs up to £7: Ice cream vendors hit back over criticism of rising prices and say it's the same as paying £5 for a takeaway coffee

By MARK DUELL, DEPUTY CHIEF REPORTER (DIGITAL) Published: 11:37, 14 July 2026 | Updated: 11:45, 14 July 2026 For decades, the sound of the ice cream van's jingle approaching down the road has prompted Britain's families to grab some money and dash outside for a '99'. But the price of the traditional ice cream cones with a chocolate flake has soared in recent years, with some vendors now charging customers an eye-watering £7. While 99s are more commonly found on sale for between £2 and £4, this still represents a huge rise from 99p which was the established price in the 1990s. Now, industry organisation the Ice Cream Alliance (ICA) has cited various inflationary cost pressures which operators across the UK are having to pass onto consumers. The group also said Brits now regularly pay £4 to £5 for a takeaway coffee, which is another common treat that has significantly gone up in price in recent years. ICA director of operations Catherine McNeil told the Daily Mail: 'Like many industries, the ice cream sector has faced significant cost pressures over the past decade. 'From the ingredients that go into the ice cream to the fuel that keeps the vans moving, almost every part of serving a 99 has become more expensive.' She explained that dairy and ingredient prices have risen in price 'substantially', with milk, cream and sugar all affected by inflation and changing global demand. People buy ice creams from a van in London's South Kennsington during the June heatwave Your browser does not support iframes. Key ingredients such as vanilla, cocoa and coconut which are sourced from abroad have gone up too, leaving businesses vulnerable to supply chain disruptions. Ms McNeil continued: 'Energy and fuel costs have also increased. Ice cream vans rely on constant refrigeration to keep products at the right temperature, while operators need to travel regularly between pitches and events. 'Add rising diesel and electricity prices into the mix, and the cost of keeping an ice cream van on the road quickly adds up.' Higher labour and operating costs are also a factor, given that wages and National Insurance contributions have increased in recent years.  Vendors also face costs to continue to high standards for food hygiene as well as health and safety. Ms McNeil also said ice cream van operators may need to pay street trading licence fees and pitch fees, depending on where they operate. But she concluded: 'Despite all these pressures, we find that demand for a quality 99 remains strong across the country. 'There is a reason so many ice cream vans have kept their familiar look and unmistakable sound.  'For generations of families, hearing the ice cream van coming down the street has meant running to find some change, choosing a favourite topping and enjoying a treat together. That sense of nostalgia is difficult to recreate in a supermarket aisle. 'Buying from an ice cream van or independent parlour is also an experience. The ice cream is freshly served, the interaction is personal and, for many people, it is tied to childhood memories, family days out and the first signs of summer.' The Mail's Caitlin Leng found a van outside the British Museum in London charging £7 for a 99 It comes after an ice cream van outside the British Museum in London last week was found to be charging £7 for a 99, days after another vendor was selling them in a similar location for £6. Vans at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone earlier this month were also found to be selling 99s for £5. The highest average price for a single scoop cone in Britain is £3.85 at Porthmadog in North Wales, followed by Brighton in East Sussex at £3.71 and New Brighton in Merseyside at £3.70, according to a recent study by credit card company Zable. This is followed by £3.65 in Aberystwyth, £3.57 in Bournemouth, £3.50 in Salcombe, £3.38 in Whitstable and £3.33 in both Tenby and Padstow. The cheapest was Barton-on-Sea in Hampshire at just £1.95, then Tynemouth in North Tyneside at £2.28. James Goforth, product manager at Zable, said prices of ice cream can vary 'dramatically' according to location. He added: 'At the most expensive destinations, a simple treat for a family of four can cost upwards of £15 for a single scoop each - and that is before you factor in travel, parking, food, and everything else that comes with a day at the beach. 'Some of the smallest seaside villages in the country are charging prices that rival the most visited coastal cities - a reflection of just how much limited competition, rather than tourism demand alone, can shape what we pay, even for something as simple as an ice cream.' Despite the cost of a 99 being 99p in the 1990s, the name of the ice cream has nothing to do with the price. The origins of the name are uncertain but Cadbury's launched a shorter version of its Flake bar in 1930 called a 'Flake 99' for the ice cream trade. Others cite how a shopkeeper at 99 Portobello High Street in Edinburgh would break a large Flake in half and put it in an ice cream in the 1920s, giving it its name from the shop number. Another theory is that the Italian monarchy had an elite royal guard of 99 soldiers, making '99' a term for something of exceptional quality - and the ice cream was therefore named the 'Flake 99' or '99 Flake' to appeal to Italian ice cream vendors.  As the heatwave continues in the UK, temperatures peaked at 30.1C in Hurn in Dorset yesterday - making it the ninth day in a row when 30C has been exceeded somewhere in the country. June's heatwave saw temperatures peak above 30C seven days in a row. There have now been 24 days in 2026 – consecutive and non-consecutive – when 30C has been exceeded somewhere in the UK: seven in May, eight in June and nine in July. This equals the number of 30C-plus days in 1976. There were 18 consecutive days in 1976 when temperatures exceeded 30C, from June 22 to July 9, the Met Office added.