Analysis
Independent retailers are more than 45% more expensive than Tesco on the top 12 take-home ice cream lines. This is in part due to deep-cut promotions on own label, with multibuy deals deployed on brands.
That’s not to say that independents aren’t competitive. Tesco’s usual price for Carte D’Or Vanilla is £3.50 and, as our graph above shows, more than 30% of independents are meeting or beating that price.
If you can’t beat the single-unit price on branded ice cream, you should compete by creating frozen meal solutions that include a main, side and dessert for a set price.
But as Waitrose proves, ice cream doesn’t have to be a price-sensitive category, with its own-label tubs priced higher than the Classic range’s RRP.
Is there an opportunity for you to partner with a local ice cream provider to drive your margins?
In-store tastings add some theatre and offer something different.
Profit checker
Price checker
| DESCRIPTION | Average price | Booker RRP | C-STORE IN SOUTH MANCHESTER SUBURB | LOCAL STORE IN SOUTH WALES VILLAGE | LOCAL C-STORE IN LARGE HAMPSHIRE TOWN | C STORE IN MIXED RESIDENTIAL/INDUSTRIAL ARES OF LARGE CENTRAL SCOTLAND TOWN | SMALL CSTORE IN CENTRE OF DEVON COASTAL RESORT | LARGE SUBURBAN LEICESTER C-STORE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEN & JERRYS COOKIE DOUGH ICE CREAM 500ML | £4.28 | £4.25 | £4.25 | £4.89 | £5.99 | £4.25 | £4.25 | £3.50 |
| BEN & JERRYS CHOC FUDGE BROWNIE 415G | £4.30 | £4.25 | £4.25 | £4.89 | £5.99 | £4.25 | £4.25 | £3.50 |
| CLASSIC VANILLA ICE TOB 900ML | £2.25 | £2.25 | £2.25 | £2.25 | £2.25 | £2.25 | £2.25 | £2.25 |
| CLASSIC CHOCOLATE & VANILLA ICE TOB 900ML | £2.25 | £2.25 | £2.25 | £2.25 | £2.25 | £2.25 | £2.25 | £2.25 |
| CLASSIC CARAMEL ICE TOB 900ML | £2.25 | £2.25 | £2.25 | £2.25 | – | £2.25 | £2.25 | £2.25 |
| CLASSIC STRAWBERRY ICE TOB 900ML | £2.25 | £2.25 | £2.25 | £2.25 | £2.25 | £2.25 | £2.25 | £2.25 |
| BEN & JERRYS PHISH FOOD 500ML | £4.30 | £4.25 | £4.25 | £4.25 | £5.99 | – | £4.25 | £3.50 |
| VIENNETTA VANILLA 650ML | £1.84 | £1.84 | £1.84 | £1.84 | £1.84 | £1.84 | £1.84 | £1.84 |
| WALLS CARTE D’OR VANILLA 1LT | £4.01 | £4.49 | – | £3.00 | – | – | – | £3.50 |
| FLAKE TUB 480ML | £3.00 | – | – | £3.00 | – | £3.00 | – | – |
| WALLS MAGNUM 440ML | £3.85 | £3.99 | £3.99 | – | – | – | £3.99 | £3.99 |
| OREO TUB 480ML | £3.00 | – | – | £3.00 | £3.00 | £3.00 | – | – |
Data supplied by
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Supermarkets
* on promotion
† own brand equivalent
Drive your profits
Ben Dyer
Debbens News
Location: Waterlooville, Hampshire
Size: 700sq ft
Type: residential Top Tip Focus on what your bestsellers are and stick to the RRP where possible so customers know they are getting the best deal We stick to the RRP and tend to stock pricemarked packs (PMP) of ice cream. We stock Euro Shopper Classic Ice Cream rather than other big brands because there isn’t a huge market for ice cream in this area. We have been asked a few times for other brands, but as we’re limited in space and don’t have a huge ice cream freezer, we stick to Euro Shopper. We stick to PMP because it shows the customer that they are getting the best deal available, and builds brand loyalty, helping to increase volume of sales.
Rajwinder Kaur
Lifestyle Express, Newhouse Mini Market
Location: Kilbirnie, North Ayrshire
Size: 1,500sq ft
Type: rural Top Tip To increase impulse buys, try cross-merchandising ice cream with cones and syrups I like to stick to the RRP when it comes to tubs of ice cream as more shoppers, mostly parents, are likely to pick it up. Plus, as most of our ice cream is bought by parents, they are always looking for a good deal – Lyons Maid is a bestseller and we stock it in Vanilla, Chocolate, Raspberry Swirl and Strawberry flavours. This summer has been good in terms of the weather, and that, alongside the school holidays, meant sales really increased when it came to tub formats. We also put ice cream cones and syrups opposite the freezer to encourage impulse purchases.
Jack Matthews
Bradley’s Supermarket (Nisa Local)
Location: Leicestershire
Size: 2,600sq ft
Type: high street Top Tip Offer ice cream at different prices to increase choice, and focus on your customers’ favourite flavours We price ice cream tubs mainly at RRP, but for value brands that might retail at £1.09, we’ll sell them for 99p. Mackie’s of Scotland is a popular brand, and we usually stock Ben & Jerry’s and Häagen-Dazs when it is on promotion through our symbol group – on its own, it’s quite expensive. Volume of sales definitely increased this summer with all the hot weather, and I noticed more people buying premium lines. Therefore, we started to stock a brand called Northern Bloc that costs £4.99 – people are happy to pay a premium for this.
John Parkinson
Broadway Premier
Location: Penrhyn Bay, Llandudno
Size: 800sq ft
Type: neighbourhood Top Tip Stocking own-label is beneficial because it offers shoppers value for money and guarantees sales We’re not an ice cream destination, but we do stock Euro Shopper Classic Ice Cream and Ben & Jerry’s when Premier have a promotion on it. We tend to stick to RRP because shoppers then know they’re getting good value for it, and Classic is our bestseller, in Vanilla, Choc Chip and Caramel flavours – out of these flavours, Vanilla is the most popular. As we have competition close to us, it’s important we try to offer the best prices, that’s why sticking to own-brand means shoppers know they’ll get a good deal on price.
