// The Co-op stop selling kitchen knives in response to increase in knife crime
// Asda announced last month it will stop selling kitchen knives
// Between March 2017 and March 2018, there were 285 killings using a knife in England & Wales
The Co-op has revealed it has stopped selling kitchen knives in response to the knife crime epidemic in the UK.
Chief executive Steve Murrells said the grocer stopped the sale of single knives about three weeks ago as part of a campaign to create a safer community.
“We’ve launched our ‘safer colleague, safer community’ campaign to support colleague safety and help identify the causes of community crime,” Murrells said.
“This has seen us remove kitchen knives from sale in our stores.”
The UK has experienced an increase in knife crime that has led to fatal stabbings, triggering the government to introduce stop and search.
The Co-op’s initiative comes after Big 4 grocer Asda announced last month it would withdraw single kitchen knives from its stores.
Moreover, between March 2017 and March 2018, there were 285 killings using a knife in England and Wales.
The statistic has risen four years in a row after a long-term decline.
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