Pods resold for exorbitant prices after being pulled from shelves

One listing is selling four packets of Pods for $110 buy now on Trade Me. Photo / Supplied

The opportunists are out in full force after the announcement the beloved Kiwi snack Pods is being discontinued.

The announcement was made last month by manufacturer Mars New Zealand.

An online search reveals Pods are no longer available on Countdown's website, as well as New World and The Warehouse.

It did not take long before people realised the possible money-making opportunity this provided and began to list the snack on Trade Me for incredibly high prices.

One listing is selling three packets of Mars Pods and a packet of Snickers Pods for $110 to buy now.

Considering a single packet used to set you back $3.50 at Pak'nSave, that is a 685 per cent hike.

Ten people have added it to their watchlist with one person already making a bid.

A single pack of Pods has been listed to buy now for $25, a 614 per cent increase from the old retail price.

Another listing included a box of 15 packs of Pods for $300, however no bids have been made yet.

One listing is selling a box of 15 packets of Pods for $300 buy now on Trade Me. Photo / Supplied

In a statement, Mars New Zealand's general manager Peter Simmons said "Due to changes in our manufacturing capability, we've had to make the difficult decision to discontinue Pods.

"We don't make these decisions lightly, and when we do, we always try to balance the expectations of our customers with the needs of our business. We recognise some will be disappointed by this change, and we hope it's not long before they find a new favourite treat from the Mars line-up."

The announcement has sparked public outrage, with 5700 people signing an online petition calling for the snack to be brought back.