Monday February 4 2019 THE NATIONAL MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM, BIRMINGHAM


At the sharp end


Industry commentator Gary Gordoncomments on the legal implications for housewares retailers of selling kitchen knives


products to under-18s but this may become compulsory. The Home Office and Metropolitan Police are


working with groups to see what we can all do to ensure that knives and other sharp objects are only used for what they are intended. Last November Vin Vara, who is managing


director of Tool Shop Group and the immediate past president of bira, led a group of us to Scotland Yard where joint work is being done, particularly on the continued education of all salespeople involved in sales of sharp objects.


K


nife crime has long been a serious problem in our society, with one tragic incident aſter another filling the


newspapers. Every time a new case of knife- related violence hits the headlines, the public blame the police, the police blame the politicians and, instead of recognising that it’s a social problem, they point the finger at the retailers. In October 2007 the minimum age allowed to


purchase a knife rose from 16 to 18. Prior to that bira (British Independent Retailers Association) - or BHF (British Hardware Federation) as it was called back then - had a team, which I was part of, that negotiated parts of the legislation with the Home Office and Trading Standards, who had to monitor the changes. We were lucky that it did not go further.


Registering all sales of knives and even licensing were all considered, which would have increased the administrative burden in store. But they were avoided. Everybody felt that this would numb the growth


of knife crime but sadly, it has not. With the current, almost constant stream of knife-related incidents, the authorities are now looking at how to take knives out of circulation to assist in cutting crime. The Offensive Weapons Bill, which was proposed last Summer, is still meandering its way through the Palace of Westminster, having been delayed by the excessive discussions on Brexit, and by several amendments to the Bill. The Bill covers firearms, acids and knives. Firearms


have taken the most time, as tightening up on licensing and home storage is wanted to curtail the increase in stolen firearms adding to black market gun sales. There is already a voluntary code amongst retailers on sales of domestic chemical


January/February 2019 • HousewaresLive.net • twitter.com/Housewaresnews housewareslive.net | 37


Knife amnesty However, in my opinion, the police have not looked enough at knife amnesties for all knives – legal or not. We all keep our favourite knives in a block set, positioned in pride of place on our kitchen worktop. But less used and often forgotten knives tend to languish in a bottom drawer. Our recommendation of a continual amnesty has been taken on board. As fewer police stations are open these days, it was suggested that a local cookshop or DIY retailer become the drop off point, and the police collect the knives when the drop off ‘box’ is full. This is being seriously considered, as in some areas it has already been introduced. The outcome of this will mean that all cookshops,


housewares stores and departments and DIY stores will have to look more closely at how they lay out and display sharp items. The police are particularly keen for all such


products to be around or behind the cash point area. As this area is almost always manned, it would


be harder for a thief to illegally take a knife, than if they were in an area less regularly staffed. Ideally all loose knives, or those in displayed knife block sets, should be behind glass in locked cabinets. All others should be in clam packs, and behind or by the cash point. A proposal that all knives and sharp objects should always be locked behind glass has been rejected, but further tightening up on online sales will also come in.


Display and licensing But what of the future? If the current Bill, when passed, has a satisfactory affect and armed crime is reduced (particularly amongst the young), then the problem is unlikely to be reviewed by Parliament again. However, if not, we face the possibility of displaying our products behind glass, and licensing. If licensing is brought in there will be both pros and cons. The cons are the expense of the licence, and there may be regulations on how knives and sharp objects are displayed - maybe even all behind glass. This will add to display costs. The plus side is that those retailers who ‘dabble’


in knife products may find that the cost of display demands is not worth the cost in proportion to sales - leaving a larger market share for the more specialised retailers. We shall all have to wait and see.


• Gary Gordon has 48 years of retailing experience, comprising 39 years as a director of cookshop chain Kitchen Kapers, and nine years as a buyer at Army & Navy Stores (now House of Fraser).


talking trade


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