Parents will pay nearly £50 per child on ice creams over the summer holidays

A poll of 2,000 mums and dads of children aged four-16 found the average price of the classic frozen treat is now £2.65. But with the average child tucking into three ice creams a week over the summer holidays, this amounts to a total of £47.70 over the six-week break.

Those in Leeds are paying the most at £2.86 a time, followed by London (£2.82), Bristol and Manchester (both £2.80). In Leeds, 18 per cent of parents say they pay at least £4 each time they buy a cone – more than in any other UK city.

It emerged parents are feeling the pinch, with 85 per cent believing that paying 99p for a whippy ice cream is a thing of the past. In fact, one in three (30 per cent) admitted they’ve skipped buying an ice cream for themselves so their child could have one instead. A quarter have even told their child that the ice cream van has run out of ice cream to avoid the expense.

The research was commissioned by Aldi, which surprised families this week with a ‘Summer Cool Down ice cream van’ in London, which gave out free ice creams.

Julie Ashfield, chief commercial officer for the supermarket brand, said: “Summer holidays are becoming increasingly expensive for families, with the cost of everyday treats and activities quickly adding up.

“With so many families budgeting months in advance and worrying about costs, it's never been more important that everyday essentials and family favourites remain affordable.

“That's why we’re committed to keeping prices low on popular summer products as we know it can make a real difference, helping families enjoy the holiday period without having to compromise on the moments that matter most.”

The research also revealed the six-week break is expected to cost families an additional £200 on average compared to term time, and an extra £49 on weekly grocery bills. Parents anticipate they'll spend an average of £134 on eating out, £105 on holiday clubs and £132 on tickets on day trips across the summer holidays, according to the OnePoll findings.

Top family excursions include going to the beach (68 per cent), the cinema (56 per cent) and the zoo (44 per cent). But even staying closer to home comes at a cost, with at-home activities, such as arts and crafts, setting parents back £70 on average over the traditional six-week break.

As a result, a third of parents worry about how much the summer break will cost, while 30 per cent budget in advance so they can do more with their children – with 21 per cent starting as early as January. It also emerged 38 per cent want to give their children the best summer possible but feel limited by what they can afford.

To help support families through the school holidays, Aldi has made further price cuts to more than 300 family favourites as part of its wider £300 million investment to lower prices on more than 1,000 products this year. It has also launched a Summer Support Scheme, giving away £50 shops to families every day throughout July and August.

Most expensive 99s across the UK:

1. Leeds
2. London
3. Bristol
4. Manchester
5. Liverpool
6. Leicester
7. Sheffield
8. Newcastle
9. Glasgow
10. Birmingham