1996 Ice Cream: When Maxibon Was Big and Cheap
In 1996, a popsicle cost 25 pesetas. Today, tiny ice creams cost €1.80. Defunct brands and shrinkflation plague the sector.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
1996 Ice Cream: When Maxibon Was Big and Cheap
In 1996, an orange popsicle cost 25 pesetas, while a Maxibon was affordable at 150. Today, the cheapest ice cream starts at €1.80—300 pesetas—and premium cones exceed €3.40 (565 pesetas). It is not just the price that has risen; portions have shrunk too. Memories of those summers, with California bikes and village kiosks, clash with today's reality of "mini" ice creams at gold-standard prices.
The Map of Disappeared Brands
The Spanish ice cream market in the 90s was dominated by Frigo, Camy (Nestlé), Miko, Avidesa, and Royne, each holding its own geographic stronghold. Miko ruled Castile and León; Frigo and Camy dominated the center; Avidesa controlled the Mediterranean coast; Royne was associated with smaller towns. Today, many of these brands have been absorbed or lost their identity: Camy left Nestlé in 2003 and is now manufactured by Ice Cream Factory in the former Avidesa facilities in Alzira. The legendary Frigurón no longer exists, and Nestlé’s Gran Bombón—which nostalgics claim outshone Frigo’s Super Choc—has changed its recipe.
Shrinkflation: The Ice Cream That Shrank
Data from the thread confirms a general trend: ice creams have reduced in size while prices skyrocketed. A "amiguis" popsicle that cost 300 pesetas is barely visible today, and private-label cones have risen 88% in nominal terms compared to 1996, without adjusting for inflation. The recurring complaint is that current ice creams "don't taste the same"—the chocolate is no longer Nestlé’s, sizes have diminished, and the experience of buying one with 25 pesetas at the municipal pool is unrecoverable.
Perhaps the only constant is melancholy. But between nostalgia and data, there is an irrefutable fact: in 1996, the money for one ice cream today bought you three. And they were bigger.
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In 1996, an orange popsicle cost 25 pesetas, while a Maxibon was affordable at 150. Today, the cheapest ice cream starts at €1.80—300 pesetas—and premium cones exceed €3.40 (565 pesetas). It is not just the price that has risen; portions have shrunk too. Memories of those summers, with California bikes and village kiosks, clash with today's reality of "mini" ice creams at gold-standard prices.
The Map of Disappeared Brands
The Spanish ice cream market in the 90s was dominated by Frigo, Camy (Nestlé), Miko, Avidesa, and Royne, each holding its own geographic stronghold. Miko ruled Castile and León; Frigo and Camy dominated the center; Avidesa controlled the Mediterranean coast; Royne was associated with smaller towns. Today, many of these brands have been absorbed or lost their identity: Camy left Nestlé in 2003 and is now manufactured by Ice Cream Factory in the former Avidesa facilities in Alzira. The legendary Frigurón no longer exists, and Nestlé’s Gran Bombón—which nostalgics claim outshone Frigo’s Super Choc—has changed its recipe.
Shrinkflation: The Ice Cream That Shrank
Data from the thread confirms a general trend: ice creams have reduced in size while prices skyrocketed. A "amiguis" popsicle that cost 300 pesetas is barely visible today, and private-label cones have risen 88% in nominal terms compared to 1996, without adjusting for inflation. The recurring complaint is that current ice creams "don't taste the same"—the chocolate is no longer Nestlé’s, sizes have diminished, and the experience of buying one with 25 pesetas at the municipal pool is unrecoverable.
Perhaps the only constant is melancholy. But between nostalgia and data, there is an irrefutable fact: in 1996, the money for one ice cream today bought you three. And they were bigger.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (159 replies).
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