America’s long love affair with ice cream appears to be coming to an end.
Consumption of ice cream milk, not including frozen yogurt, sorbets, and low-fat or fat-free ice cream, has been on the decline for years, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
In 1986, the average American ate 8.1 kilograms of regular ice cream, according to the USDA. By 2021, the most recent year for which data is available, consumption fell by a third, to just 5.4 kilos per person.
For years, ice cream was more than just a dessert: It was a lifeline for American brewers during Prohibition and a means of boosting troop morale during World War II. By the 1950s, this sweet, creamy treat had become an American treasure.
But like whole milk, soda, red meat and other ancient heroes of the American diet, ice cream has come under scrutiny for its impact on health and the environment. After peaking in the 1940s, the per capita availability of regular ice cream began to decline in the 1990s and throughout the 2000s, as health-conscious consumers began to reject it. sugary and fatty food, or they began to treat it as an occasional and expensive treat.

Smaller, higher quality portions

Over the years, ice creams have come in smaller sizes, explains John Crawford, vice president of the Dairy Department at Circana, a consumer research company.
“We have moved from family sizes of ice cream to individual containers,” he explains. The per capita reduction may reflect the fact that “less volume is purchased each time.”
Circana has seen a decline in volume in recent years. According to their data, dairy ice cream purchases by volume have fallen about 8% between 2018 and 2022. In that time, sales per unit have also fallen, but sales per dollar have risen, showing that people are spending more for less.
The evolution in sizes has accompanied a growth in ice cream types and flavors, he noted.

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