The large Dutch supermarket chain Albert Heijn stops selling knives. “Unfortunately, aggression in society is on the rise. In order not to contribute in any way to this development, we are taking measures,” Albert Heijn spokeswoman Anoesjka Aspeslagh said in Zaandam today.
“We have decided not to sell knives in our establishments anymore.” Regulating the sale of knives has been in the works for some time – also as a reaction to the widespread social discussion. First, age control was introduced, now the sale of knives will be completely stopped.
In the Netherlands, rising levels of knife violence are causing concern, particularly among young people. As the Forensic Institute of the Netherlands (NFI) recently reported, 12- to 18-year-olds are increasingly involved in stabbings.
The institute has already started making an inventory of the knives seized by the police. And the first results are frightening: knives are getting bigger and the risk of fatal injuries is increasing. Police experts are concerned that young people are increasingly armed with knives.