Indulging in Hungary: Europe’s 2nd Most Expensive Ice Cream
In 2023, the European Union saw a production of over 3 billion litres of ice cream, a slight decrease from the previous year, according to data from Eurostat. Interestingly, Hungary emerged as the second country with the most expensive gelato in Europe, after Austria.
Germany took the lead as the top ice cream producer in the EU, releasing 612 million litres, followed by France with 568 million litres and Italy with 527 million litres. However, it’s worth noting that data from ten countries, including Hungary, was not fully available, which may have skewed the rankings slightly.
When it comes to pricing, Germany offered the cheapest ice cream with an average price of EUR 1.80 per litre. Following closely were Lithuania, the Czech Republic, and Sweden, with prices ranging from EUR 1.90 to EUR 2.10 per litre.
On the flip side, Austria had the highest gelato prices in Europe, averaging at EUR 7.70 per litre. Surprisingly, Hungary came in second with an average price of EUR 4.80 per litre, while Greece took the third spot at EUR 3.70 per litre.
In terms of trade, EU countries exported 261 million kilograms of ice cream outside the union, valued at EUR 1.04 billion, while importing 56 million kilograms worth EUR 217 million. The price per unit for exports was slightly higher than for imports, with gelato exports seeing a 5% increase compared to 2022, while imports dropped by 8%.
Overall, the ice cream industry in Europe remains dynamic and diverse, with various countries offering unique products at different price points.
