Column BHETA
Bringing
awareness About BHETA On 6 April, when the new Offensive Weapons Act 2019 (OWA2019) came into force, trading standards officers and the police were further empowered to ensure that bladed items - and some other types of products (such as corrosive substances as found in some cleaning and DIY items) - are sold in a way which complies with ‘age-restricted purchase’ rules instore and online. While this does not sound especially problematic on the face of it, BHETA, which has coordinated and hosted the Responsible Knives Sales Steering Group with leading suppliers and retailers and worked with the Met Police and Trading Standards since 2019, is seeking to clarify the real implications of the Act for the industry. Kitchenware International learns more from Will Jones, chief operating officer, BHETA What are the key aspects of the new knife legislation that suppliers need to be concerned with? And what does it mean for retailers? The biggest challenge presented by OWA2019 to both suppliers and retailers is its lack of clarity regarding exactly what the definition of ‘bladed item’ is when it comes to considering what products are now deemed agerestricted sales. This means that the costly – but not necessarily unreasonable – measures that both suppliers and retailers have taken to comply with the Act may not in fact fully address what could happen in practice.
Meanwhile Trading Standards and the police are also trying their best to interpret the legislation sensibly. The result is that the whole industry is left in confusion. To look at the question from the suppliers’ point of view first, these are the issues which have had to be addressed to achieve theoretical compliance. Changes to packaging, POS and merchandising instore, and to outer packaging in the case of items delivered direct to consumers. In practice this has involved specific wording to indicate 18+ age verification (with many using the Challenge 25 model) and changes to methods of display, including potentially
no display at all, as some retailers elect to take affected items off open sale. Changes to online purchase / delivery, which now needs to include robust age verification at the point of purchase and delivery. This in turn involves staff training and potentially changed contracts with courier companies, as well as an end to locker or ‘leave in safe place’ deliveries. The implications for suppliers are clear in terms of increased costs and the likelihood of reduced sales where items are no longer browsable. Nevertheless, it is BHETA’s experience that there is consensus among suppliers as to best practice in terms of these
Did you know? The BHETA has been working with Amefa (UK), Arthur Price, Burton McCall, Fiskars (UK), Fackelmann Brands, GEH, Grunwerg, Haus, Kuhn Rikon, Meyer Group, Rayware, Robert Welch, Sabichi, Taylors Eye Witness, Asda. Dunelm, Elys of Wimbledon, Gastronomy, Harts of Stur, Lakeland, ProCook, Robert Dyas, Sainsbury’s Supermarkets and TK Maxx on keeping auppleirs briefed of the legislation. 32 KITCHENWARE INTERNATIONAL
The British Home Enhancement Trade Association (BHETA) is the voice of authority on everything home improvement and home enhancement, including DIY, housewares, garden, small domestic appliances and home decor. It represents £5 billion at retail and 9,000 employees and brings together manufacturers, suppliers, retailers and opinion formers to drive growth at home and abroad. For more information about retailer and supplier co-operation, contact BHETA on 0121 237 1130, or email wj@bheta.co.uk, or visit the website at www.bheta.co.uk
packaging, point of sale and online changes to comply with OWA2019. For retailers, all the above also applies, plus the cost of staff training to improve the ability of retail staff to challenge on age grounds where necessary and to adapt to the changed nature of bladed item sales in store and online. Unsurprisingly, some retailers have taken the view that to avoid any possibility of finding themselves at odds with OWA2019, the only solution is to cease selling bladed items online and to take them off open sale in store. As with suppliers, the cost implications for retailers, including the effect of lost sales is obvious. Again, however, there appears to a level of consensus in the actions they have taken thus far.
In real terms, what does this new UK knife legislation mean for companies? In BHETA’s opinion, over and above all this, the real issue for suppliers
