Amefa’s stand at Exclusively Housewares (June 11-12, Islington BDC) presented a new fixture designed for retailers to be able to display knives safely in a cabinet while still enabling consumers to touch and feel the products.
The unit incorporates Richardson Sheffield knives from its Everyday, Enthusiast and Expert ranges housed in perspex with handles accessible to hold and move. A digital screen invites consumers to select their level of culinary interest and click on ranges and knife functions for further information.
The consumer can choose to buy a knife by clicking ‘Add to basket’ on the screen. They would then be able to collect the knife from a retailer’s counter, such as the cigarette kiosk in a supermarket, which is tailored towards age verified sales.
“People can still touch and feel the product in a store in order to make their decision, while the screen adds some of the benefits of an online experience,” explains Amefa’s commercial director Steve Law. With major retailers visiting the stand at Exclusively, Steve notes: “So far we have had really positive feedback.”
Amefa company is part of BHETA’s collaboration of knives suppliers and retailers that are looking at “how we can go forward collaboratively,” says Steve, who adds: “We are passionate about working with retailers.”
The issue surrounding retailers’ displays of knives hit the headlines last month, when a man died after he received a stab wound to the chest in a Tesco carpark in Slough. This prompted the supermarket to start to remove single knives from its stores, leaving gaps on shelves. The decision follows Asda’s removal of single knives from its shelves in April.
Tesco (along with Argos and Amazon) received criticism after a 16 year old actress, sent by BBC Watchdog was able to buy knives without age verification in early May.
Top: Consumers can hold and move the handles of knives in Amefa’s prototype of a safe display cabinet.
