41 people have been killed with knives this year
Supermarket chain Asda are removing all single kitchen knives from their stores amidst concerns over the growing number of incidents of knife crime in Britain. Seven people were killed in London alone last week.
According to Asda, single kitchen knives are the most frequently stolen from their stores, prompting their decision to completely remove them from sale by the end of April.
Asda senior vice-president Nick Jones said the company had “a responsibility to support the communities we serve”.
“Whilst we have already taken steps to restrict the sale of knives to ensure that they do not fall into the wrong hands, we felt there was more we could be doing to support those looking at how to bring this issue under control,” he added.
It is illegal to sell knives to under 18s unless they have a folding blade less than 3in (7.6cm) long. The store will, however, continue to sell multipacks of knives.
Responding to the announcement by Asda, the Home Office said: “We welcome retailers playing their part in preventing young people accessing knives.”
