Illegal Knife Sales to Children: Urgent Action Needed

  • Trading Standards urges retailers to prevent knife sales to under-18s after 15% failed tests
  • Poundland, Home Bargains, Asda and Tesco sold knives to children multiple times in tests
  • Online test purchases saw knives sold to children 41 times out of 100 attempts

Trading Standards has expressed concern over the sale of knives to children after a recent study found that 15% of test purchases resulted in knives being sold to underage individuals. Out of 2231 tests conducted between April 2018 and March 2019, retailers failed to prevent sales on 344 occasions. Poundland, Home Bargains, Asda, and Tesco were among the offenders. Online tests also saw knives sold to children 41 times out of 100 attempts. Toby Harris, chair of National Trading Standards, emphasized that retailers must improve staff training and procedures to prevent further sales. Kit Malthouse, minister for policing, crime, and fire, called for urgent action and mentioned the Offensive Weapons Act as a potential solution.

Factuality Level: 10
Factuality Justification: The article provides accurate information about Trading Standards’ tests on knife sales to children, quotes from relevant authorities, and discusses the issue of knife crime in a factual manner without any sensationalism or personal opinions.
Noise Level: 3
Noise Justification: The article provides relevant information about the sale of knives to children by retailers and includes quotes from authorities on the issue. It highlights a problem and calls for action from retailers to prevent such sales. However, it does not contain any new insights or solutions beyond what is already known.
Financial Relevance: No
Financial Markets Impacted: No
Financial Rating Justification: The article discusses the sale of knives to children and the enforcement of laws related to knife sales, which does not directly impact financial markets or companies.
Presence Of Extreme Event: No
Nature Of Extreme Event: Other
Impact Rating Of The Extreme Event: Minor
Extreme Rating Justification: There is no extreme event in the last 48 hours.

Reported publicly: www.retailsector.co.uk