Day of action aims to reduce knife crime across Preston
Retailers have been given important knife sale advice during a day of action aimed at reducing knife crime.
Officers from Lancashire County Council's Trading Standards team joined forces with more than 40 officers from Lancashire Neighbourhood Policing Team to visit businesses across the city centre and promote the Responsible Retailer Scheme on March 25.
The scheme, launched in Lancashire in November in partnership with the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office, encourages retailers to strengthen how they safely store, display and sell knives. More than 280 businesses have now enrolled across the county, including convenience stores, kitchenware and haberdashery outlets and garden centres.
The officers were joined by Councillor Joshua Roberts, cabinet member for Rural Affairs, Environment and Communities at Lancashire County Council, who saw how staff at Pound Stop 2 at St John's Shopping Centre successfully safeguarded their business after signing up to the scheme.
Councillor Joshua Roberts said:
"We're speaking to local businesses and signing them up to the Responsible Retailer Scheme. Responsible Retailers like this one have placed the knives high up, out of the reach of children, and will check the identification of anyone trying to buy a knife who looks under the age of 25."
Jason Middleton, Trading Standards officer at Lancashire County Council said:
"We've all got a responsibility to reduce knife crime and reduce the access of young people to knives – and that includes the police, Trading Standards and shops that sell knives. The Responsible Retailer Scheme supports retailers and shops by providing free resources and advice on how they can sell knives and blades responsibly."
Knife sales are not licensed, so any retailer may sell them, but they must comply with laws preventing sales to under‑18s. Trading Standards works with councils, police and community partners to identify businesses that sell knives, and a new database is being developed to support future planning and knife‑crime prevention work.
Responsible Retailers sign up and agree to sell and store knives responsibly, undergo free training and follow a check 25 process, checking the identification of anyone who looks under 25 yrs old wanting to buy age restricted products such as knives, vapes, cigarettes and alcohol.
Find out more at Knives – Responsible retailer scheme - Lancashire County Council