Razor Blade Sales in the UK (RM changes)

[zoidberg]

For those in the UK, from March onwards Royal Mail will not allow razor blades (or other knives) to be sent in the mail.

So if you are looking to get an order from Razor Blades Club, Maggards (or anyone else outside the UK), now is probably a good time!

I imagine for buying large orders, some retailers may start using different companies but for small orders and gifts, it might be a little tricky.

 

[Goblin]

Oh, for God's sake!

That's just going to increase costs further for consumers and businesses...as if everything in the UK wasn't twice the price of everywhere else already.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

They have tiptoed around this in the past. It seems they're very wary of being found liable of (and potentially being fined/sued for) enabling some kid to buy something they shouldn't have online. They obviously think the loss of business will hit them less than potential court action further down the line. Hardly a surprising overreach, considering they had their own staff prosecuted for using a defective accounting system that they forced them to use...

(For folks overseas who don't know the background there, several UK postmasters were convicted for embezzlement of funds due to a defective national IT system, which has been a very long, painful, expensive, and traumatic legal battle for all concerned)

 

[blethenstrom]

That is just ridiculous! I assume then you cannot order kitchen knives or anything and have it mailed then. That is taking it a bit far.

 

[Dave himself]

This is just getting silly now.

 

[zoidberg]

That is just ridiculous! I assume then you cannot order kitchen knives or anything and have it mailed then. That is taking it a bit far.

I've got enough blades to last me a while but kitchen knives are one I'm stumped with.

I read elsewhere, retailers can get a pro account and send items with age verification. I presume that would involve sending a copy of one's passport to the retailer. With others I imagine, I'd be very reluctant to do this.

 

[Qanzoq]

It is complete nonsense

I mean i can buy blades from La Barbiera/Shaving Time etc etc but not ebay UK
How long before those sites stop selling blades or increase costs due to this age verification rubbish

 

[zoidberg]

It is complete nonsense

I mean i can buy blades from La Barbiera/Shaving Time etc etc but not ebay UK

eBay has banned blades for a while now, almost a year I guess.

When Dave used to run Shaving Time, he had problems shipping blades if my memory serves me right.

La Barbiera are unlikely to use RM to ship blades from April.

 

[blethenstrom]

This is horrible news for our friends in the UK!

 

[Qanzoq]

eBay has banned blades for a while now, almost a year I guess.

When Dave used to run Shaving Time, he had problems shipping blades if my memory serves me right.

La Barbiera are unlikely to use RM to ship blades from April.

Thank goodness for sites like AliExpress

 

[BigJ]

They have tiptoed around this in the past. It seems they're very wary of being found liable of (and potentially being fined/sued for) enabling some kid to buy something they shouldn't have online. They obviously think the loss of business will hit them less than potential court action further down the line. Hardly a surprising overreach, considering they had their own staff prosecuted for using a defective accounting system that they forced them to use...

(For folks overseas who don't know the background there, several UK postmasters were convicted for embezzlement of funds due to a defective national IT system, which has been a very long, painful, expensive, and traumatic legal battle for all concerned)

Very sad!!

 

[RRGGMM]

Would this include cartridges? I am not in the IK, so (for now) this doesn't affect me, but the implications are far-reaching. What about a cheese grater? Those have sharp edges. Or a packing tape dispenser with the serrated tape cutting edge? It is sure getting weird out there.

 

[zoidberg]

Would this include cartridges? I am not in the IK, so (for now) this doesn't affect me, but the implications are far-reaching. What about a cheese grater? Those have sharp edges. Or a packing tape dispenser with the serrated tape cutting edge? It is sure getting weird out there.

It'll extend to cutlery soon.

If you are eating steak the only way to have small pieces will be to use your teeth.

 

[zoidberg]

A minor update.

The proprietor of one of the UK's more significant shaving suppliers posted up the following in regards to the 2019 Weapons Act.

"The 2019 act refers to the Criminal Justice Act 1988.
Razor blades are exempt from Criminal Justice Act 1988, as they are less than 3" in length. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpg...s-with-blades-or-points-and-offensive-weapons
The exception is specifically for items like razor blades, which can be evidenced by looking at the pre legislation debate on Hansard."

*****
So it would seem double edge blades should be exempt!

Hurrah!

 

[Cloobster]

There are sometimes ways around this. There are also restrictions by Royal Mail with the transit of batteries (not sure if the restrictions are as stringent as this case) but some suppliers get round this by bundling the batteries with a cheap torch and declaring the package as containing a torch as opposed to batteries. It will be interesting to see if a similar workaround can be used here. I suppose it would be trickier to pass off this workaround if your Company is called "Razor Blades Club".

 

[SMMottershead]

It looks like Royal Mail has changed this because it has been updated for changes to be made in 07/05/2024. I am guessing they had some bad come back haha. They are still saying no to Open razors / Folding razors. I am guessing they are talking about cut throats with the working of Folding razors?

 

[Goblin]

It looks like Royal Mail has changed this because it has been updated for changes to be made in 07/05/2024.

Wow. That was not expected, but it looks as though sanity has prevailed. A rare triumph for common sense!

It means all my blade stockpiling last month was not needed, but I regret nothing. Here is a link to the revised guidance:

https://www.royalmail.com/sites/royalmail.com/files/2024-03/bladed-items-sharp-objects-weapons-web-changes-rm-consumer-26-march-2024.pdf

Specifically, the important update to the policy: Prohibited Bladed Items cannot be sent. However, other Knives or Blades as defined by s141A Criminal Justice Act 1988 or ‘Bladed Products’ as defined by s41 of the Offensive Weapons Act 2019 can be sent, provided certain conditions are met. These include any knife or knife blade, including cutlery knives, bread knives, knives that can be used for hobbies and trades (for instance, utility knives and snap-off cutters, gardening, camping, lock knives, bushcraft and farming tools with a blade or any other trade tool that could commonly be described as a knife), butcher knives (including meat cleavers), felling axes and razor blades.

I can only assume that someone saw the various discussions on hobby, bushcraft and other forums and realised there were a lot of pissed off people who needed bladed items for perfectly legitimate reasons!

 

[luvmysuper]

Outlaw knives, and people will use clubs.
Outlaw clubs, and people will use hammers.
Outlaw hammers, and people will use pipe...
Etc. Ad infinitum.
You cannot possibly legislate the criminalization of anything that could be used as a weapon, because ANYTHING could be used as a weapon.