talking trade Ta Taking a proactive approach


Amefa commercial director Steve Law explains why his company has designed a safer - but still consumer-friendly retail fixture - for kitchen knives The knives are locked away in a Perspex


transparent unit, but with the handle available, so customers can feel the handle, test the weight and balance of the knife, and inspect the shape and finish of the blade. If you are a value-based retailer


r,, you will


probably only be selling affordable knife sets, which are fully enclosed anyway. But the further up the scale you go in terms of premium product, themore important it is for customers to be able to trial the product in terms of a physical relationship with the knife. In themid-to-premiumsector,


that


offermore expensive knives, and these are r, we have stores


frequently required to be retailed in exposed packaging, so customers can try out the product.With the current need formore responsible knife retailing, this becomes more challenging - so we all need to find other solutions.


W


ith the retail display of knives hitting the headlines over the last few


months - with the likes of Tesco and


Asda removing single knives fromsale - suppliers, trade associations and retailers themselves have been gathering to address


The responsible knife the issue.


retailing campaign by


BHETA (British Home Enhancement Trade Association), which sees all parties working


The downturn in kitchen knife sales resulting together on the issue, is a case in point.


shelves, but also fromthe variety of retailer fromthe issue, not only fromremoval from


‘securitymeasures’ is already evident from


suppliers and retailers, the data demonstrates Together with anecdotal reports from EPOS data.


that the security-led changes in customer experience, poorer product aesthetics in retail


convenience have all had detrimental effects on fixtures, and the reduction in purchase


One supplier taking a proactive approach to consumer purchase.


consumer-friendly retail fixture for kitchen r, but still


designing and testing a new safer,


brand dating from1839, Richardson Sheffield knives is Richardson Sheffield. A British


is now owned by Amefa, of which I’m


Shown for the first time at London trade commercial director.


Richardson Sheffield retail fixture is designed show Exclusively Housewares, the new


to allow retailers to display kitchen knives


customers handle the knives in order tomake safely and securely, while also letting


their selection. 36 | housewares evil .net


With the purchase ofmid, premiumand luxury knives, customers really do want and need to hold the knife, feel the weight and check the handle for comfort and grip.We therefore needed to come up with a safe solution for both retailers and customers, where the feel of the product can still be experienced pre-purchase. This fixture not only allows for that vital aspect of choosing the best kitchen knives to meet the individual consumer’s needs but it actually adds to the in-store experience in terms of choice, advice and information - which is now so important for bricks-and-mortar sales. We believe the Richardson Sheffield concept not only overcomes security issues but adds a whole new dimension to the possibility of point- of-sale in the category, by integrating a digital screen above the unit which allows customers to search and find the best knife for them. The screen invites consumers to select their level of culinary interest from‘everyday’ to ‘enthusiast’ to ‘expert’ and then shows the ideal


• HousewaresLive.net re • twitter. r.com/H


specific food task. The screen then displays all decide which type of knife they need to do a clicking on different food icons, consumers ranges within those categories. Then, by


the knives which can performthat function. Finally, consumers can click on ranges and knife functions for further information, followed by the opportunity to choose to buy a knife by clicking ‘A‘Add to basket’ on the screen. In a grocery context, the customer would then be able to collect the knife froma retailer’s counter,


r, such as the cigarette kiosk or


customer service desk, which is tailored towards age-verified sales. But the systemcan easily be adapted to amore assisted purchase in a specialist store or even to online ordering, in-store collection or age-verified home delivery. So, consumers can touch and feel the product in a store in order tomake their decision, while the screen adds some of the benefits of an online experience. And we are happy to adapt the principle of our prototype to the needs of individual retailers.


Themany retailers who visited our stand at Exclusively Housewares gave us some really positive feedback, and we are actively pursuing adaptions for specific retailer opportunities. We’ve not onlymade knives safe, according to the responsible knife retailing campaign, but we’ve incorporated amuch-needed and helpful multi-channel solution.We intended to be proactive on kitchen knife safety and we have been. But the journey has alsomade us think more creatively and deliver something that we think is really special.


Amefa is part of BHETA A’’s collaboration of


knife suppliers and retailers, looking at how we can go forward together.We are passionate about working with retailers and this initiative demonstrates the level of investment we are prepared tomake.


• Interested retailers can contact the Amefa customer service teamon 01142 542530 or email sales@amefa.co.uk.


fa fa


/Houseware


resnews


June/July 2019


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