Heat wave in Böblingen: cravings for ice cream are decreasing – beverage trends are increasing!

Heat wave in Böblingen: cravings for ice cream are decreasing – beverage trends are increasing!

With high summer temperatures of up to 36 degrees in the Böblingen region, the current heat wave is proving to be a double-edged sword for ice cream parlors. While the Uniteis industry association reports that extremely high temperatures reduce the desire for ice cream, some ice cream parlor owners are optimistic.

“The demand for ice cream drops above 30 degrees, as many consumers mostly resort to ice cubes, cold drinks or soft drinks,” explains Annalisa Carnio, spokeswoman for Uniteis. This observation could become a challenge for many ice cream parlors. Despite the scorching heat, some businesses are complaining about a lull in customers. Nevertheless, there are positive exceptions, like in Leonberg. Here, owner Kiriaki Vraka of “Zoe & More” and “Giulia & More” reports good business, with no significant drop in ice cream sales.

Customer behavior and sales strategies

The ice cream parlors in Leonberg are living off the trend that many customers prefer to purchase ice cream in air-conditioned rooms. “The ice cream business is particularly popular in the afternoon after school and work,” says Vraka with conviction. In addition to traditional ice cream, cold coffee specialties and frappés are also in high demand. Interestingly, even at these high temperatures, some customers show interest in hot drinks such as cappuccino.

The current heat wave, which does not promise any significant cooling even on July 3, 2025, is a challenge that poses unexpected problems for many ice cream parlors. According to Uniteis, the optimal temperature for selling ice cream is a pleasant 25 to 26 degrees. “Due to a mixed spring, the season for many ice cream parlors only started at the end of May or beginning of June,” complains Carnio. This could further aggravate the situation, as the hot days are not an advantage for all catering establishments.

Prices and customer satisfaction

In this heat, the price also seems to play a role: a scoop of ice cream currently costs an average of 1.81 euros, although in popular holiday regions the prices are often over 2 euros. According to information from Merkur, prices have hardly increased compared to the previous year in order to remain competitive. Yet a survey by YouGov shows that 60% of respondents are buying less ice cream than they did five years ago.

The coming days are likely to be crucial for ice cream shops as they adapt to the fickle tastes and purchasing habits of their customers. While some businesses like in Leonberg are flourishing, the situation for ice cream parlors in other places will remain tense.