STORE giant Asda has unveiled what it describes as the UK's first sweet red onion, promising to rid shoppers of tears and bad breath after eating.

The Asda Sweet Red has "lower pungency levels", meaning the flavour is less overpowering, fewer tears are shed when chopping and the odour will not linger on the breath as long as a regular onion.

The new bulb is said to boast a milder, juicier and crunchier flavour and texture than regular red onions.

In an initiative spanning more than 20 years, farmer Alastair Findlay of Bedfordshire Growers personally tasted and evaluated some 400 to 500 bulbs per season to cultivate the new product.

More than 40 tonnes of Sweet Reds are hitting selected Asda stores this weekend priced at £1.

Andy Wareham, vegetable buyer at Asda, said: "We're incredibly proud to have worked and supported Alastair on his journey. Introducing the UK's very first sweet red onion is a fantastic achievement and like the USA, the UK has a sweeter palate than most so will appreciate the same tangy flavour, without the strong acidity of some onions.

"It's funny to think that prior to the 1990s, there were no red onions grown within the UK, however, due to the popularity and versatility of the variety, they now account for 20 per cent of the total onions sold within the UK."