Supermarket giant Coles has imposed major restrictions on the sale of a popular kitchen item in dozens of stores amid fears for the safety of shoppers and staff.
The Smeg knife range, which can currently be redeemed through Flybuys points, has been removed from 26 stores across Australia in a major crime-fighting move.
The items have been banned from 24 Coles stores in Victoria, one each in Queensland and New South Wales.
It follows the lead of supermarket rival Woolworths, which removed knives from 350 stores nationwide following a stabbing attack at a Melbourne store checkout in 2021.
Coles spokesperson Martine Alpins said the supermarket giant takes the wellbeing of its customers seriously.
“Safety is the number one priority when it comes to our team members and, of course, our customers,” said Ms. Alpins. 7 news.
“We heard from our team members, we heard from the community that they would prefer not to have them (the Smeg knife range) in those stores because of particular incidents that have occurred.”
He urged other retailers to consider whether the sale of the items reflects the safety concerns the community has about knives.
The Smeg knife range (pictured) has been banned in 24 stores in Victoria, while the products are also no longer sold in some stores in Queensland and New South Wales.
“They are available in many retailers across Australia and they should be, but I think it’s important for retailers to be aware of what’s going on,” Ms Alpins said.
Some shoppers welcomed the move, while others called it an “overreaction.”
Meanwhile, Aldi said it is complying with the rules by selling special buy knives to customers.
Australia has been rocked by major incidents involving people using knives and putting shoppers’ safety at risk.
The Smeg knife range has also been removed from Coles in Sydney’s Westfield Bondi Junction.
Six people, five women and a security guard, were killed in April when Joel Cauchi was stabbed in the busy Westfield in the city’s east.
A nine-month-old girl was one of 12 other people stabbed before the man was shot dead by NSW Police Inspector Amy Scott.
Some shoppers agreed with the move to ban the item from supermarkets, while others called the decision an “overreaction” (file image from a Coles store).
A 60-year-old man and a security guard were allegedly stabbed by a man at a Woolworths store in Barkly Square, in Brunswick, north of Melbourne, in October 2021.
Woolworths announced at the time that it would temporarily remove knives and scissors from stores nationwide, a move that has since been made permanent in 350 stores.
Queensland and Victoria have the strictest knife laws in Australia.
Knives cannot be sold to minors under 18 years of age in the Sunshine State.
Anyone caught carrying a knife in a public place can be jailed or fined $5,750.
A person caught carrying a knife can go to jail for a year in Victoria.
Selling a knife to anyone under 18 carries a fine of up to $46,154 or a two-year prison sentence.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Coles, Woolworths and Aldi for further comment.