Why some onions were too sexy for Facebook

There are regular onions, and then there are onions too sexy for Facebook, a Canadian seed and garden supply store recently discovered.

The Seed Company by EW Gaze, in St John's, Newfoundland, had wanted to post a seemingly innocent advert for Walla Walla onion seeds on Facebook.

But to their surprise, it was rejected for being "overtly sexual".

In a statement on Wednesday, the social media company apologised for the error made by its automatic technology.

The ad flagged by Facebook showed Walla Walla onions, known for their size and sweet flavour, piled in a wicker basket with some sliced onion on the side.

It took store manager Jackson McLean a moment to realise what the issue was with the posting, he said.

Then he figured out that "something about the round shapes" could be suggestive of breasts or buttocks.

He knew his customers would find the ad rejection funny, and posted the photo, along with the automated Facebook message warning "listings may not position products or services in a sexually suggestive manner", to the company page.