As of 2025, the government is bringing in stricter requirements for online knife purchases. It’s a measure that’s been introduced in response to rising concerns about knife crime, as well as several high-profile cases to hit headlines last year.

And with so many of our customers ordering butchers knives from us through our website here at Butcher Equipment Warehouse, we know it’s one that stands to affect our customers too, so we’re bringing a few planned changes forward by a few month accordingly. Crucially, we’re changing how we do things with age verification – and what we need from you too. Here’s what’s going on, and how it’s changing things.

What’s changing?

Until now, retailers selling knives online were required to operate an age verification system designed to prevent under-18s from buying bladed items. However, the law did not outline specific methods or standards for these checks, which effectively gave businesses a lot of discretion in how they carried them out. That’s now about to change.

Under new provisions within the Crime and Policing Bill, the government has tightened up the requirements, aiming to effectively create a more robust and verifiable system to block underage sales.

Online buyers will need to confirm that they are over 18 at the point of purchase. Then, when the item is delivered, the person receiving the parcel may need to show their identification to the delivery driver, to prove that they are over 18. The driver isn’t necessarily legally required to verify that the buyer themselves is over 18 – only the person receiving the package. (The buyer and receiver are often the same person, but not always.)

It’s a useful failsafe because even if the knife was bought by a minor, this makes it a legal mandate to introduce an adult to the process, preventing the risk of the knife being delivered directly to someone underage.

The new legislation is also making it illegal for drivers to leave parcels unattended under any circumstances. That means no leaving parcels on a doorstep, in a porch, or with a neighbour. If the person receiving the parcel can’t for whatever reason show identification in person, then basically the delivery will need to be rescheduled.

The Home Office has also suggested that online retailers could request a live photograph or video of the buyer holding their ID. However, this extra step will remain optional – everything else is compulsory.

How we’re handling age verification here at Butchers Equipment Warehouse

We’ve always taken safety seriously here at Butchers Equipment Warehouse, as well as our legal obligations – so we’ve already taken steps to ensure that our processes are fully in line with the legislation. Not just for our own legal protection, but also to ensure that the process of ordering remains simple and stress-free for you, too.

Now, it’s not something that applies to everything we sell. A considerable proportion of our butchers equipment doesn’t fall under the new rules, as it’s not classed as a “bladed article” – for example, vacuum packers or mincers.

However when it comes to anything with a blade, we’ll need to take extra steps with age verification, which is why our prices for delivery are changing slightly in some instances. When we arrive with your delivery, if you (or the person receiving your parcel) is lucky enough to look under 18, we’ll ask for a legal form of identification, so that we can prove that we’ve delivered the parcel to an adult.

We’re still offering free delivery on all orders over £50 though, so no change there. That includes orders with knives – so even with the added ID checks, you’re not paying extra for shipping. And for clarity, we don’t necessarily mean £50 worth of knives – that total price can be made up of any combination of items to qualify for free shipping.

That’s everything in a nutshell – if you need any further info or clarification about anything in our butchers knives, we’re always happy to help. With more than 30 years of experience to our name, we're the UK’s go-to choice for a wide range of butchers knives, butchers machinery and spares. Take your pick from our extensive range to choose from, and all at the very best prices. And of course, if you ever have any questions or need any advice, don’t hesitate to give us a call on 01254 427761, and we’ll be happy to help however we can!