With the weather looking set to produce one of the UK’s hottest summers, the ice cream category has come into its own. National Ice Cream Day, celebrated annually on the third Sunday of July, has raised the profile of these cool treats and put the front of mind for consumers, so now is the perfect time to stock up and big up your offer.
“Last year proved to be a successful period for ice cream, where the category achieved a record increase in sales of 12.7 per cent to £1.6 billion,” says Kerry Cavanaugh, General Manager at Mars Drinks and Treats:
“The Mars-branded portfolio of ice creams shared this success, with sales performance growing in line by 11.2 per cent to £51.5m.”
Notably, he adds, the fastest growing channel for ice cream was convenience, outperforming the category average with an increase in sales of 16.5 per cent (and for Mars, its growth in convenience outperformed the market consistently across both impulse and multipacks formats, growing by 19.5 per cent and 17.7 per cent respectively).
Rhiannon Lines, Retail Execution Lead at The Magnum Ice Cream Company, says that “Ice cream remains one of the most dynamic and fast-evolving categories, and as the UK’s leading pure-play ice cream business, The Magnum Ice Cream Company, as a category leader is focused on helping retailers unlock maximum growth potential. In convenience, the category has grown by 12.8 per cent in value over the past year [0.1 per cent more than Kerry calculates], which is being driven in part by innovation, as new formats, flavours and product launches continue to bring shoppers into the category. From handheld formats for on-the-go enjoyment to take-home tubs, the category is now relevant across more moments than ever before.
Dean Hanson, Sales Director at frozen food specialists Consort Group, is also seeing good things happening in the Ice Cream category, which he says remains one of the most exciting and resilient categories in convenience retail.
Despite ongoing pressure on household spending, “consumers continue to seek affordable treats and moments of indulgence. Ice cream sits in a unique position where it can satisfy both needs. For many consumers, a £2 - £3 ice cream still feels like an affordable luxury,” explains Dean.
“What we have seen over the last 12 months is a continued split between value-driven purchases and premium indulgence. Consumers are increasingly prepared to pay more when they believe the product delivers a better experience, stronger brand recognition or a more premium proposition.”
Galaxy Ice Cream bar multipack launches in UK Photo: Handout
He adds the category is also becoming less seasonal. That is something we pointed to last year, as the UK follows the trend of other, sometimes colder countries, like Sweden, in choosing an ice cream as a treat no matter what the weather is.
“While weather remains hugely important, consumers are now purchasing take-home and indulgent products throughout the year," he says. “The challenge for retailers is to maximise the summer opportunity while recognising that ice cream is no longer just a summer category.”
The proof of this, Dan concludes, is that during the May Bank Holiday and half-term period, demand reached unprecedented levels, and retailers who were well stocked and reacted quickly benefitted significantly.
Unlike confectionery – and perhaps more like alcohol, ice cream not only goes with meals but is an occasion in its own right, across the day and year.
As a distributor, Concord has a bird’s eye view of the category, and confirms that Impulse remains king during warmer periods, beating out the multiples and customers nip into the local shop for a cooling, delicious cone (or pot, or stick ... ).
Products such as Magnum, Cornetto, Oreo, Flake and other recognised brands continue to drive significant volume because customers trust them and know exactly what they are getting – brands are also king, and that means visibility and availability count for maximising “impulse ambushes”
Also, some of the strongest growth opportunities are in trends mentioned on these pages last year: premium impulse products and gelato-style offerings – which are part of that premium trend but indicate a widening of consumer outlook and a willingness to try new tastes and textures.
Volcanix ice cream stick Photo: Handout
And it’s not only impulse shoppers, to an extent transferring their spend from the superstore to the local shop (partly to save on fuel costs and avoid the extra temptations to fill a supermarket-sized trolley).
According to Concord, take-home formats are also becoming increasingly popular with shoppers, who are buying larger tubs, and premium brands within those tubs, alongside other sharing products, which continue to perform well as consumers increasingly enjoy café and dessert-style experiences at home. This looks as if it might be part of a long-term, perhaps structural change in UK eating habits, as consumers forsake the ever-more expensive food-service sector, and entertain instead at home with “posher” products.
And when thinking “ice” it is worthwhile widening the imagination to include other chilly treat-forms (if you have the space), such as slush and frozen drinks – to boost the reputation of your store as a comprehensive, one-stop ice destination.
Winning the freezer wars
Convenience is up against the mults and discounters in conquering ice cream sales this summer, and as in most wars, it’s important to wheel out the big guns.
“The strategy with our ice cream products has always been to focus on a core range of our most recognised confectionery brands,” says Kerry Cavanaugh, General Manager at Mars Drinks and Treats. “We know that our customers are drawn to that familiarity, and can trust in the taste experience that they will enjoy with a Mars product.”
It’s a dual attack strategy: quick treats advancing in the middle, with multipacks and tubs on the flanks.
“For convenience, we also want to ensure that we are offering a good mix of impulse products for the higher levels of on-the-go consumption seen in these stores,” he explains, “alongside multipacks, where we have seen sales grow substantially over the past four years as the consumer attitude towards ice cream consumption has developed.
Photo: Handout
Mars has discovered that ice cream is no longer reserved for those looking for a treat to cool down with during the summer months, but it is also the treat of choice for shoppers opting for nights in and group gatherings: “With this in mind, along with the fantastic year-on-year performance we are seeing, we are encouraging retailers to ensure they have an all-year-round ice cream presence, offering a wide range across both impulse and multipacks.”
Following on from the successful introduction of Snickers White Ice Cream bar multipacks into the UK market in 2025, Mars has decided double down on c-channel success with the introduction of Galaxy Ice Cream and Mars Salted Caramel Ice Cream multipacks for 2026.
“Galaxy is the third most popular chocolate brand in the UK,” says Cavanaugh, “which would suggest a significant appetite from consumers to enjoy the taste of Galaxy in an ice cream bar format in 2026!”
Free to innovate
The Magnum Ice Cream Company, newly unshackled from Unilever (since December) is out and about, making its own way in the world; and it appears to be having great fun exploring this new-found freedom.
“As the UK’s leading ice cream business, The Magnum Ice Cream Company is focused on growing the category by driving both value and frequency of purchase,” says Rhiannon Lines, Retail Execution Lead. “Trusted favourites such as Feast, Twister and Calippo drive repeat purchase, while premium brands like Magnum and Ben & Jerry’s help trade shoppers up and increase basket spend. Balancing accessibility with indulgence is key to maximising sales.”
She confirms that innovation remains a key driver for ice cream, not just at Magnum but for the whole category, and calculates that innovation – new products and formats, activations, campaigns and promotions – all the invention and hoo-hah that brings in the crowds – contributed 12.8 per cent of total value growth in the convenience channel.
Lines says that through continued investment in new formats and flavours at a variety of price points, The Magnum Ice Cream Company is actively helping to expand the category, by attracting new customers and creating new occasions for purchase:
“So far in 2026, we’ve introduced a host of innovations designed to tap into evolving shopper trends and unlock new purchase occasions. This includes on-trend, premium flavours like Magnum La Pistache, alongside new formats such as Cornetto MAX, Volcanix and Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Dough Sandwich, which offer shoppers more choice and different ways to enjoy well-loved brands.
Photo: Handout
It is by combining the latest innovations with a strong core range that retailers can drive availability, increase shopper engagement and fully unlock the ice cream sales opportunity this summer and beyond. Lines contests that the proof of this is that skus such as Magnum Classic and Magnum White Chocolate sticks, alongside Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Dough and Calippo Orange, now rank among the top five in convenience.
And as for the blending of impulse with the role c-stores aim to wrest from the mults – the growing take-home element of spend – she is equally optimistic for the future.
“Take-home ice cream remains an important part of convenience, representing 49 per cent of total category sales and has grown by eight per cent since last year, highlighting the opportunity for retailers to cater to at-home indulgence moments,” she says.
And with tubs accounting for 29 per cent of value sales in the channel, they are a key driver of spend, reflecting the evolving shopper preference for shareable take-home formats. “Ranging the right mix of bestselling take-home options, such as Ben & Jerry’s, alongside newer formats, allows retailers to drive basket spend and encourage repeat purchase,” Lines explains.
She recognises that naturally on-the-go formats continue to lead the way in convenience – it's the spirit and the lifeblood of the channel; yet the channel is also evolving and setting its sights on new things. Singles account for more than half of category value, underlining their importance in capturing impulse sales and driving footfall.
“As shopper behaviour evolves, demand is being driven by products that combine indulgence with convenience, reflecting the category’s role as both an impulse, on-the-go purchase and a key ‘treat’ occasion. From classic favourites like Magnum and Cornetto to newer, more innovative formats, such as Cornetto MAX and Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Dough Sandwich. “
Finishing up
In short, as Concord Group’s Hanson points out, the future of the category remains extremely positive. Innovation continues at pace, driven by premiumisation, confectionery partnerships, international flavour influences and new formats.
“At the same time,” he warns, “retailers must recognise that operational execution is becoming increasingly important. During recent heatwaves, stores that were prepared with stock and freezer space dramatically outperformed those that were not.”
One common mistake is treating ice cream as a passive category.
The best-performing stores actively manage their range, review sales data and react quickly to changing conditions.
Retailers should also consider secondary siting opportunities and seasonal displays to remind customers about ice cream purchases before they reach the till.
He concludes that the retailers who win will be those who combine strong ranging, excellent availability and a willingness to embrace new products. Innovation continues at pace, driven by premiumisation, confectionery partnerships, international flavour influences, new formats and products.