‘What’s going on here?’ Shoppers baffled by this WA food item

A Canadian tourist's social media discovery has pulled back the curtain on one of Western Australia's longest-running grocery mysteries—and the rest of Australia can't believe what they've been missing.

When Kyra wandered into a Perth Woolworths expecting to grab some red onions, she found herself staring at something she'd never seen before: completely bare bulbs sitting in the produce section like they'd forgotten to get dressed.

In a follow-up shot, Kyra doubles down on the surprise: 'Pre-peeled onions… what? The only red onions they had at Woolies!'

'Someone help... is this just a Western Australia thing? I have never seen this before!' she exclaimed in her viral video, holding up what looked like a regular onion that had been given the full spa treatment.

The great onion divide

The comments under Kyra’s clip captured the whiplash perfectly. One viewer asked, 'How is this food safe? Peeled onions can absorb so much bacteria!'

Another simply shouted the consensus among the shocked: 'Put it back PUT IT BACK.' And for locals, it really was business as usual: 'WA girl here, I never knew they come any other way,' and 'Aren’t they naturally like this? I’m from WA.'

But West Australians? They were having a good chuckle at everyone else's expense.

'Come to think of it, I've never seen a red onion with the skin on??? I'm from Perth,' one commenter said.

Another Perth local chimed in: 'WA girl here, I never knew they come any other way.'

The science behind the skinless spuds

So what's really going on here? It turns out Mother Nature plays favourites when it comes to onion skins. The region's growing conditions often result in different skin quality compared with onions grown in eastern states.

West Australian onions are simply 'uglier' than their east coast counterparts, according to industry insiders. The harsh growing conditions—think scorching heat, sandy soils, and challenging weather patterns—mean WA onions often develop patchy, unsightly skins that simply don't make the grade for the produce aisle.

Woolworths says the practice is specific to WA: because local growing conditions can affect the skin quality of red and white onions, stores sometimes sell them loose and pre-peeled to present a fresher-looking product and keep quality consistent for shoppers.

Rather than bin perfectly good onions because they look a bit rough around the edges, supermarkets in WA choose to sell these loose onions pre-peeled to present a more visually appealing product and maintain freshness.

Food safety experts weigh in

Before you start worrying about bacteria-laden bulbs, food safety experts have some reassuring news. Food safety experts have noted that onions are not particularly vulnerable once peeled, provided they are handled and stored properly.

Despite natural antimicrobial compounds (like allicin and quercetin) in onions, these are insufficient alone for pathogen control. However, the key is proper handling and storage—something supermarkets are well-equipped to manage.

A two-decade tradition

Here's the kicker: this isn't some newfangled grocery trend. Coles has been offering these 'skinless' red and white onions for more than 20 years, and they are extremely popular with customers.

For years, Coles shoppers have sporadically taken to social media to question why the alliums of WA are sold skinless. The mystery has been 'plaguing Australians for years,' with eastern staters regularly expressing their bewilderment whenever they venture west.

Australia's quirky regional food differences

WA's pre-peeled onions aren't the only regional food quirk that catches tourists off guard. Australia's vast landscape means different growing conditions create unique local practices that can surprise visitors from other states.

From Tasmania's unique apple varieties to Queensland's distinctive tropical fruits, our island continent serves up plenty of 'wait, that's not normal everywhere?' moments for interstate travellers.

What this means for your weekly shop

If you're planning a trip west or simply want to make the most of your onion purchases, here are some handy tips:

Selecting quality onions:

• Look for onions that are firm and have dry, papery skins (when they have them!)
• Avoid onions that have developed green shoots or anything that shows sign of decay
• Pre-peeled varieties should look fresh with no dark spots or soft areas

Storage essentials:

• Onions should be stored at room temperature, away from bright light, and in a well ventilated area
• Onions are packaged in mesh bags because they like to breathe. Avoid keeping them in plastic bags
• All onions should be stored away from potatoes, as they will absorb their moisture and ethylene gas, causing potatoes to spoil more easily

The bigger picture

This onion story touches on something many of us can relate to: the surprise of discovering that what's 'normal' in our neck of the woods might be completely foreign elsewhere. It's a reminder that even in our connected world, regional differences still thrive—sometimes hiding in plain sight in the produce aisle.

For WA locals, these naked onions are as routine as Vegemite on toast. But for visitors, they're a quirky glimpse into how local conditions shape the food we eat and the shopping experiences we have.

Whether you're team 'pre-peeled is practical' or team 'keep the skin on,' there's no denying that this little onion odyssey has given us all a good reason to appreciate the wonderful weirdness of our wide brown land.

Have you encountered any surprising regional food differences during your travels around Australia? We'd love to hear about your own 'wait, that's not normal everywhere?' moments in the comments below.