Sydney café slammed for 'outrageous' $9.50 peeled mandarin tub

While Aussies have become used to skyrocketing food prices in recent times, they are drawing the line at the apparent cost of one item at a Sydney café.

A picture snapped by a customer shows a tub of peeled mandarin slices on display in the city's Eastern Suburbs for a massive $9.50.

The fruit is labelled as a "seasonal fruit cup" and comes in a clear BioPak cup. It also says it's 'vegan' and 'gluten-free'.

Mandarins are currently in season and cost as little as 30 cents each in major supermarkets, so naturally, many thought the price was "outrageous".

"No surprise it’s in the Eastern Suburbs. It’s a peeled mandarin in a cup," one man pointed out on Twitter, highlighting the high cost.

While he didn't specify where it was, it appears to be on display in a café or eatery.

"Is that the price or the health rating?" one person mocked.

"If someone is dumb enough to pay $9.50, that’s [their] bad luck," another wrote.

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One person pointed out that the tub of yoghurt and "expensive berries" on display next to the tub of mandarin slices was cheaper.

"$8 for yoghurt with expensive berries and $9.50 for a mandarin yikes these guys must be loaded," they said, suggesting it's a "gimmick."

Cost of fruit and veg to drop

While the cost of some fresh produce has dropped, some remain high.

Earlier this month, watermelons at Woolworths were selling for $34 online. At Coles, the fruit was selling for $28.

But the prices of watermelons should drop as the weather warms up and the fruit comes back into season at the end of the year.

Meanwhile, Australians can expect to see other fresh produce prices fall in the next few weeks, according to retail expert Gary Mortimer.

Following months of price hikes, Mr Mortimer previously shared with Yahoo News Australia that produce prices are expected to drop back to normal due to warmer weather as farmers in growing regions have time to re-establish their fields and grow new crops.

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