“Tearless” onions are set to go on sale in the UK for the first time.

Originally launched in the US, brand Sunions are bringing their less pungent variety of onions across the pond to supermarket Waitrose next week.

The product of more than 30 years of breeding, the onions vapours are not powerful enough to bring tears to the eye.

Grown in Spain, they will retail at £1.50 and be sold in a three-pack.

A website promoting the products says: “Volatile compounds in onions are responsible for tearing and pungent flavour and the amounts of those compounds in other onions remain the same or increase over time.”

“In Sunions, these compounds do the exact opposite and decrease to create a tearless, sweet and mild onion.”

Waitrose said the tearless onions were “perfect for those with sensitive eyes as well as cooking in the kitchen with children”.

“They’re a sweet onion so still work in a curry but also can be served raw.”