Groceries
High ball prices: ice cream parlor association defends itself against criticism
According to the ice cream parlor association, higher rental and energy costs are reasons for higher Kugel prices. photo
© Jens Kalaene/dpa/dpa-tmn
The cost of a scoop of ice cream has risen in Germany, customers are angry. However, the ice cream parlor umbrella organization does not consider the criticism to be justified.
The umbrella organization of Italian ice cream parlors in Germany considers criticism of high ball prices to be unjustified. In other European countries, a ball sometimes costs “double or triple,” said Annalisa Carnio, Secretary General of the Uniteis association, of the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung”.
The association’s website even says: “In Germany you pay the least for a scoop of ice cream in all of Europe.” The price debate in Germany is “too emotional and wrongly puts the ice cream parlors in a bad light,” says Carnio.
Higher rental and energy costs
She cited higher rental and energy costs as the reason for the increased ball prices. In addition, the lack of staff in the industry is noticeable. That’s why there is more ice cream to go in waffles or cups instead of table service.
“Otherwise, the operation is hardly economically viable,” says Carnio. However, the climate crisis with increasing global warming has positive consequences for the ice cream business. “Climate change is also having an impact on the ice cream season because summers are getting hotter and longer overall and the desire to cool down is increasing,” says Carnio.
Uniteis represents the interests of around 1,000 members who, according to the association, operate 2,200 ice cream parlors across Germany.