Altroconsumo has analysed more than 150 packaged ice creams, including popsicles, sorbets, sticks, cones, ice-cream sandwiches and cups. The products were assessed according to their ingredients, nutritional profile and organoleptic characteristics.
The results are not particularly encouraging: none of the products tested reached the “green” band, corresponding to a score of 60 or higher.
🎯 The quality bands
- Green band (60–100): no products were included.
- Yellow band (40–59): this is where most of the better-rated products are found, particularly supermarket private-label products and simpler ice lollies.
- Orange and red bands (below 40): several more elaborate ice creams, including well-known branded products, received low scores.
🥇 Which categories performed best?
Popsicles and sorbets
Popsicles and sorbets generally achieved the highest scores, largely because they tend to contain fewer calories and little or no fat compared with cream-based ice creams.
However, a lower calorie content does not automatically mean a better ingredient list. Some products contain flavourings and colourings, so it is worth checking the label.
Ice cream sticks
Simple fruit-flavoured sticks, particularly lemon and strawberry varieties, generally have a more favourable nutritional profile. Chocolate-coated and cream-based versions tend to contain more calories, sugars and fat.
Cones
Cones generally contain significant amounts of both sugar and fat. Among the products tested, some Valsoia cones stood out for their comparatively lower sugar and fat content.
Ice-cream biscuits
Ice-cream sandwiches are among the most calorie-dense products in the test. One of the products highlighted in the analysis was a Dolciando (Eurospin) maxi ice-cream biscuit, providing around 327 kcal per serving.
Cups
Cups tend to be less calorie-dense than cones. The analysis reported an average of approximately 207 kcal per 100 g for cups, compared with 308 kcal per 100 g for cones.
🍦 Private labels vs. major brands
One of the clearest findings is the better performance of supermarket private-label products.
Of the more than 150 products analysed, only a limited number reached the “acceptable” range of 40 points or more, and most of these were supermarket brands. Many well-known branded products received considerably lower scores.
This does not mean that every private-label ice cream is healthier, nor that every major brand performed poorly. The nutritional and ingredient profile of the individual product matters more than the brand name alone.
⚠️ Why should packaged ice cream be eaten in moderation?
Many packaged ice creams can contain substantial amounts of:
- added sugars;
- saturated fats;
- emulsifiers and stabilisers;
- flavourings and colourings.
Portion size is another important factor. A single serving can contain considerably more calories than expected, particularly in products combining ice cream, chocolate, biscuits or other coatings.
For this reason, packaged ice cream is best considered an occasional treat rather than a staple food.
✅ What to choose
If you want a lighter option, Altroconsumo’s results suggest looking particularly at:
- simple fruit popsicles and sorbets, preferably with a relatively short ingredient list;
- lemon or strawberry ice lollies, which tend to have a favourable nutritional profile;
- products with lower amounts of sugar and saturated fat;
- cups rather than large cones or ice-cream sandwiches, when comparing similar products.
The ingredient list and nutritional table are always worth checking, since products within the same category can differ considerably.
🥇 Examples of products in the yellow band
Among the products reported in the yellow band (40–59) were:
- Coop – Assorted Ice Pops (orange, black cherry and mint): 59/100
- Coop – Lemon Ice Pops: 55/100
- Dolciando (Eurospin) – Assorted Ice Pops: around 54–55/100
- Carrefour – Assorted Ice Lollies: around 51–52/100
- Esselunga – Mint or Orange and Lemon Ice Lollies: around 51–52/100
- Nestlé – Pirulo Tropical Mini: 51/100
- Algida – Max Calippo Super Mix: around 50–51/100
- Estathé – Ice Lemon: 50/100
Overall, simple ice lollies and supermarket private-label products were among the strongest performers in this part of the ranking.
🔻 Products with particularly low scores
Some of the lowest-scoring products were ice-cream sandwiches and other more elaborate products.
For example:
- Sammontana – Ringo Gelato Snack: 26/100
- Nestlé – Maxibon products: around 22–24/100, depending on the version. Altroconsumo’s current comparison confirms that Maxibon products receive low composition scores because of their relatively high sugar and fat content.
It is important to note that Pan di Stelle at 50/100 belongs to the yellow band, so it should not be listed among products scoring below 40.
🍨 The bottom line
Altroconsumo’s analysis does not mean that packaged ice cream should be avoided altogether. Rather, it highlights the differences between products and shows that simpler, lower-calorie ice lollies and some supermarket private-label products generally perform better than more elaborate ice creams.
As with other desserts, the best approach is moderation—and when choosing between products, checking the sugar, saturated-fat content, calories and ingredient list can make a significant difference.
