Morrisons, a major UK supermarket chain, has announced it will cease selling traditional pointed kitchen knives in a pioneering move to address rising knife crime rates. The decision follows police data revealing 49,151 knife or sharp instrument offences in the past year, marking a 50% increase over the last decade.
New Policy on Knife Sales
From now on, Morrisons will only stock blunt-ended knives that cannot pierce skin. The retailer is the first in the UK to adopt such a measure. David Scott, Corporate Affairs Director at Morrisons, stated: "They're just as effective in the kitchen but reduce the risk of harm." He expressed hope that the initiative would "help normalise safer knives and make our communities safer."
Background of the Decision
The policy change comes in the wake of a violent incident at a Morrisons store in Bradford, West Yorkshire, on December 5. A man wielding a six-inch blade entered the supermarket, causing chaos and forcing evacuations. Milad Panjshiri, 22, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, though a judge indicated he may serve only 40% of that term.
Leanne Lucas, a survivor of a knife attack in July 2024 where a 17-year-old killed three girls and injured ten others with an 8-inch kitchen knife, has been campaigning for rounded-tip knives through her Let's Be Blunt campaign. She urged MPs to support the initiative, emphasizing that such tragedies "must never be repeated."
Support from Anti-Knife Crime Charity
The Ben Kinsella Trust, a charity dedicated to reducing knife crime, backs the campaign. Chief Executive Patrick Green noted that blunted knives "remove the opportunity, the impulsivity" associated with sharp blades.
Store Closures
Morrisons' decision to discontinue a product line coincides with plans to close 100 stores across the UK. The proposed closures target loss-making outlets described as "the most challenged" in the chain's retail estate.
