Spanish households lift ice-cream purchases 11.7% as market reaches €762.68 million

Household volume reaches 151.97 million litres

Spanish households bought 151.97 million litres of ice cream between June 2025 and May 2026, 11.7% more than in the preceding period, according to figures from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food reported by Levante-EMV. The value of the domestic household market increased 16.3% to €762.68 million, while the average price rose 4.1% to €5.02 per litre.

Average consumption reached 3.23 litres per resident, with spending of €16.2 per capita, up 15.7% from the previous year. The difference between the 16.3% increase in market value and the 4.1% rise in average prices indicates that higher physical demand, rather than inflation alone, drove most of the expansion.

Supermarkets dominate a highly seasonal market

Supermarkets accounted for 87.6% of all ice cream bought by households, compared with 8.2% for hypermarkets. They were also the least expensive channel, with an average price of €4.77 per litre, well below the €7.72 charged by traditional shops. This concentration gives supermarket operators and their private-label suppliers a central role in determining assortment, pack size and price positioning.

Demand remains strongly seasonal: 81.6% of household volume was purchased between April and September. July represented 20% of annual volume, followed by June at 17.8% and August at 17.1%. Monthly consumption per person ranged from only 0.06-0.09 litres during winter to 0.65 litres in July, leaving manufacturers and retailers dependent on production planning, cold-chain capacity and shelf availability during a narrow peak period.

Valencian cooperative Consum recorded a 9.2% increase in ice-cream units sold between February and July compared with the same period a year earlier. The retailer told Levante-EMV that pistachio was expanding across chocolate-coated bars, cones and tubs, while fruit sorbets, including açaí-inspired varieties, were attracting demand from shoppers seeking refreshing and healthier options. Sugar-free products remained the leading wellness-related request, ahead of gluten-free, lactose-free and protein-enriched alternatives.

Small formats and out-of-home demand advance

Consum also reported growing interest in smaller portions such as mini chocolate-coated ice creams, mochi and bite-sized products. Its assortment covers blocks, frozen cakes, coated bars, mini formats, cones, tubs, sandwiches, frozen desserts, crushed-ice drinks and ice lollies. The trend toward controlled portions gives manufacturers room to vary formats and occasions without relying only on larger household packs.

Ice-cream consumption outside the home reached 31.24 million litres nationally, 5.2% more than a year earlier. Average out-of-home consumption was 0.87 litres per person, up 4%, and residents ate ice cream away from home about seven times a year, mainly in the second and third quarters. Of this consumption, 61.3% occurred inside the establishment and 18.6% in the street.

Snacking accounted for 31.8% of out-of-home occasions and lunch for 30.5%, followed by dinner at 15.9% and post-dinner consumption at 10.1%. Impulse purchases or immediate hunger represented 32.3% of occasions, while celebrations and social meetings accounted for 29.1% and pleasure or relaxation for 22.6%. Half of consumption occasions involved family, compared with 20.9% with friends and 17.9% with a partner. Demand was particularly strong in metropolitan Barcelona, Andalusia and the Valencian Community, while household spending was more intensive among families of at least three members, households with children and those whose principal shopper was over 50.