BHETA is bringing the Home Office directly together with suppliers for a special briefing on the new requirements affecting the sale and delivery of knives and other bladed products.
The online briefing will take place on Friday 25th September, from 11.30am to 1.00pm, via Microsoft Teams, and will give businesses the opportunity to hear directly from the Home Office team working on implementation of the Crime and Policing Act 2026.
The legislation introduces significant changes for businesses selling bladed products, particularly through online and other remote sales channels. These include strengthened age-verification requirements and new provisions covering the reporting of bulk sales of bladed articles.
And this is not just an issue for specialist knife retailers.
The existing statutory guidance around the prohibition on sales to under-18s covers a wide range of products relevant to the housewares, DIY and garden sectors. These include kitchen and table knives, bread and chef’s knives, steak knives, utility and trade knives and certain gardening or farming tools which could commonly be described as knives.
During the briefing, the Home Office will explain the developing guidance and BHETA members will have an opportunity to explore what the changes are likely to mean in practice.
The session will focus particularly on:
· Age verification – including the strengthened requirements applying to online sales and the implications for retailers, suppliers and fulfilment processes.
· Delivery requirements – understanding the controls surrounding delivery of bladed products and age verification at the point of handover.
· Bulk knife sales – the new reporting requirements and what businesses may need to put in place.
· Product scope – which products are likely to be included or excluded under the updated guidance.
· Implementation – what suppliers and retailers should be thinking about now ahead of the new requirements coming into operation.
BHETA General Manager said:
“The important message for suppliers is not to assume that these changes only concern businesses selling specialist knives. The legislation and guidance can capture everyday products sold across the housewares, DIY and garden sectors.
“This session gives our members a valuable opportunity to hear directly from the Home Office, understand what the Government will expect of businesses and raise practical questions before the new regime is implemented.
“We would encourage any member supplying knives or other potentially affected bladed products to attend – particularly those responsible for compliance, e-commerce, operations, logistics or retail account management.”
The Government has said its strengthened regime is intended to prevent under-18s from purchasing knives online. Under the new provisions, online sellers will face more prescriptive checks at the point of purchase, while requirements also apply further through the delivery process.
BHETA members are encouraged to register now and use the session to raise questions directly with the Home Office team.
The briefing is one of a series of BHETA initiatives designed to help members understand forthcoming regulation at an early stage and ensure that the practical implications for suppliers are heard by Government.
Not a BHETA member?
Businesses supplying knives, kitchenware, DIY, garden or other potentially affected bladed products that would like to access the briefing and BHETA’s wider programme of regulatory support are invited to contact BHETA at info@bheta.co.uk to find out more about membership.
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