We all scream ... about price of ice cream

Already staggering from sticker shock at the gas pump, consumers may suffer "licker shock" at the ice cream stand this summer when they see some of the industry's biggest price hikes ever.

Blame it on bad timing. A combination of political unrest and natural disasters overseas, and fluctuations in the dairy industry in this country has left ice cream manufacturers grappling with higher prices for key ingredients, including milk, vanilla and cocoa.

"I have been in this industry for nearly 20 years, and I have never seen all of these things come together at one time," said Lynda Utterback, executive director of the National Ice Cream Retailers Association.

Although large manufacturers can absorb some of the higher production costs, consumers can still expect to pay more for everything from pints in the grocery store to cones at the stand and push-pops off the truck.

How much more? Estimates vary from 6 percent to as much as 20 percent or more, depending on region and product.

A pint of Ben & Jerry's is going up 8 percent, the most in the company's 26 years. Klondike bars will cost 10 cents more per multipack, according to manufacturer Good Humor-Breyers Ice Cream.

The rising prices also are accelerating a recent trend — companies shrinking packages but keeping prices the same in what effectively is a net price increase. In January, Friendly's, based in Wilbraham, Mass., rolled out its 56-ounce half-gallon tub — down from the standard 64 ounces — and this month increased its retail prices by 5 percent.

Consumers irritated by the increase aren't likely to find much relief, said Danielle Tirrell, manager of Arnie's Place ice cream stand in Concord, N.H., where the price of a regular cone is up 20 cents from last year to $2.35 and may go higher.

"Every once in a while I hear someone say, 'Wow, that's expensive,' " she said. "I've had one guy say, 'Your prices are up over last year. I'm going to go someplace else.' Well, you can go someplace else, but their prices will be up, too."

Retail and restaurant ice cream make up a $20 billion business in the United States, where nearly 1.6 billion gallons are produced each year, according to Bob Yonkers, chief economist for the International Dairy Foods Association.

The average person eats 26 servings of ice cream a year, according to The NPD Group, a market research firm.