Ice cream vans across Britain are charging up to £5.75 for a single 99 flake, leaving families stunned by the cost. The traditional treat, once available for 99p, has become increasingly unaffordable amid the cost-of-living crisis.
In London's Hyde Park, a stall run by the Royal Parks charity was selling 99 flakes for £5.75 before reducing the price to £4.65 after an error in advertising. Manager Safran Siddik, 20, said he could not afford his own ice cream and noted that prices have risen from £3 three years ago.
Customers expressed frustration at the hikes. One father said: 'It is not the price - everything is increasing everywhere.' Another added: 'It is cost and location - it's for the kids and it's London.'
In Coventry, a mother paid £5.70 for a twin ice cream with a flake. Prices in Birmingham, Newcastle and other cities have also breached £3.50 for a single cone. The 99 flake, named after an Italian phrase meaning top-class, remains a staple of British parks and beaches but is now out of reach for many.
