Look, we were all probably older than we care to admit when we found out that green, yellow and red capsicums are all the same thing. But what we may not have seen coming was how much we would have fork out at the supermarket to get a coveted red one, when we need one.

At many supermarkets and grocers around the country, red capsicums are often more expensive than green ones purely because they are ripe. The capsicums we find in the fruit and veg section all come from the same plant and are either harvested at the same time, or a certain amount are left on the bush to ripen.

If they’re all harvested at the same time while still green, the fruit must still be stored somewhere until it turns yellow or red.

Green fruits are harvested earlier, so require less time and resources for both the farmers and the markets that buy them, which makes them cheaper. Red, yellow, and orange capsicums need more time to mature, which requires more time and care from the farmer, which is reflected in their price.

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Similar economics are at play for the shops you buy your capsicums from. If a supermarket can buy more green capsicums at a lower price from the farmer, they can then (theoretically) pass those savings along to the consumer. So now you know!

Are green, yellow, orange, and red capsicums the same fruit?

They sure are! Conventional capsicums that you get from your supermarket all come from the same plant. Just like many other fruits and vegetables, they start green and then change to yellow, orange, and finally, red. Green capsicums are generally not as sweet as their more mature friends and can contain less nutrients too.

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