Major UK retailers have signed a pledge to crackdown on the sale of knives to children and teenagers.
Numerous online retailers along with high street stores have committed to requiring proof of age at point of purchase, collection or delivery under a voluntary agreement announced by Home Secretary Theresa May on Wednesday.
Supermarkets Tesco, Lidl UK, Asda, Sainsburys, Morrisons and Waitrose have all made the commitment alongside Amazon UK, Wilko, Argos, Poundland and John Lewis. eBay UK said it also “supports” the crackdown.
Legislation to ban “zombie killer” knives is also set to be introduced, Mrs May confirmed.
Mrs May told a policing conference in London the Government has struck an agreement with retailers on a set of principles to prevent the under-age sale of knives in their shops and through their websites.
She said: “The agreement means that the retailers will have committed to requiring proof of age at point of purchase, collection or delivery, that knifes will be displayed safely and packaged securely and that staff will receive regular training.”
Law enforcement agencies will carry out follow-up test purchases in six months.
The Home Secretary added the Government will work closely with the British Retail Consortium to get other retailers to commit to the principles.
She said: "Knife crime has a devastating impact on victims, families and communities, and I am determined to do all I can to prevent it."
Action is also being taken to ban the sale, manufacture and importation of "zombie killer knives". Under secondary legislation, offenders will face up to four years in prison.
Mrs May said they "glamorise violence and are clearly targeted at young people”.
She added: "These are dangerous weapons and have absolutely no place on our streets."
It came as the Government launched a new Modern Crime Prevention Strategy which identified six key "drivers" of crime - opportunity, character, the effectiveness of the criminal justice system, profit, drugs and alcohol.
Additional reporting by Press Association.
