BHETA’s lobbying on bulk knife sales reporting
BHETA has continued its active engagement with government on behalf of members regarding new knife sales legislation. On 19th August, BHETA wrote formally to Rt Hon Dame Diana Johnson DBE MP, Minister of State for Policing and Crime Prevention, regarding Amendment NC68 to the Crime &Policing Bill.
The amendment introduces a duty on online retailers to report “bulk” sales of knives and bladed articles. While BHETA and its members fully support responsible retailing, we raised strong concerns about the practical impact of the proposed reporting thresholds and criteria –particularly for SMEs selling online.
Key points raised in BHETA’s letter:
- The current thresholds could mean thousands of sales are flagged daily, creating unnecessary workload and bureaucracy.
- While many members already voluntarily report suspicious orders, the new system risks overwhelming both retailers and the police with routine data.
- To reduce this burden, BHETA is asking government to adopt a two-phase implementation:
- Phase one: larger retailers first, given their capacity and resources.
- Phase two: SMEs once the reporting system is tested and streamlined.
Why this matters for members
If implemented without changes, the legislation would require SMEs to install complex reporting systems immediately, at significant cost and disruption. By lobbying for phased implementation, BHETA is ensuring that member businesses have the time and clarity needed to adapt while maintaining high standards of responsible knife retailing.
BHETA is now seeking further dialogue with the Minister and the Home Office and will continue to keep members updated as discussions progress.
Liaison with the Metropolitan Police
BHETA is feeding into the Metropolitan Police's development of the implementation plan for bulk knife sales reporting and has been invited to a meeting on Friday 29th August with this agenda:
1. To hold discussions around the realities and challenges of bulk/suspicious reporting.
2. To examine data styles and volumes.
3. To work towards a collective agreement on guidance for retailers.
4. To build the best system suiting the legislative provisions, retailers and thepolice as best we can.
If any BHETA member would like to attend the meeting please contact Steve Richardson at sr@bheta.co.uk for more details.
