Shopper stunned as green beans rise to $45 per kilo: 'This is craziness'

It seems green beans might be off the menu for one Aussie shopper after she unwittingly bought the grocery staple for a whopping $45 per kilogram.

The customer, Alex Anastassiou, was shopping at her local grocer, Taste Growers Market in Zetland, when she made the shocking discovery.

As per usual, Ms Anastassiou loaded up a bag with a handful of hand-picked green beans, which typically costs her around $6 to $8 in total.

It wasn't until her groceries were scanned at the checkout that Ms Anastassiou noticed something unusual about the price.

"I was so shocked," she told Yahoo News Australia.

'Thought it was a mistake'

"I was watching the total price tally as the woman scanned my food, then it suddenly jumped up and I saw the beans were $29 total for the bag I'd filled and I thought it was a mistake," Ms Anastassiou revealed.

Assuming the price was incorrect, Ms Anastassiou looked over to the section where she'd picked up the green beans and realised she'd misread the sign.

"I looked back at the price sign, thinking it was meant to be $4.50 per kilogram and not $45 per kilogram," she shared.

"And there it was – all the veg around it was $3 per kilogram or $6 per kilogram, which is normal, and then it was just this huge $45 per kilogram."

• 'Stolen Coles meat' worth $2000 found after driver pulled over

• Coles offers $6.50 alternative amid lettuce crisis: 'Great for eating'

• Woolworths, Coles shortages to last for WEEKS as damning photos emerge

'This is craziness'

Ms Anastassiou confessed she almost asked the cashier if she could return the $29 bag of green beans, but thought again.

"I considered just saying, 'Can I put those back?' but felt a bit awkward so I just paid for it."

When asked how much she typically would expect to pay, Ms Anastassiou said the price of the same green beans at her local grocer is usually around $10 to $12 per kilogram.

"This is craziness," she concluded.

According to the the Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (AWE), the price of green beans has risen by over 400 per cent since March, which explains the hefty price tag in this instance.

Loose green beans are currently available for $10.90 per kilogram at Coles and $13.90 per kilogram at Woolworths, which is an average of $32.60 cheaper than Taste Growers Market.

Fresh produce prices soar due to flooding and cold weather

Ms Anastassiou's startling revelation comes amid soaring fresh produce prices across Australia, due to floods in NSW and Queensland and a recent cold snap.

As a result, the price of lettuce has soared to $12 a head in some supermarkets, while punnets of strawberries and blueberries were spotted for $14.99 and $19.49 respectively.

Across the ditch, an Auckland shopper even discovered a $100 watermelon at her local supermarket, Farro, as the retailer was forced to import the out-of-season fruit from Australia.

Aussie shoppers are being urged by supermarkets to buy in-season fruit and vegetables, and where possible opt for frozen produce to keep costs down.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.