Coles pulls kitchen knives from shelves after stabbing incident

black and brown handled kitchen knives

Coles will stop selling kitchen knives in all its supermarkets nationwide after a 13-year-old boy allegedly stabbed an employee on January 13.

Police allege the boy took the knife from the supermarket’s shelves before the “random” attack. The suspect fled the scene but was apprehended by bystanders and security guards.

A Coles spokesperson confirmed the removal of kitchen knives from its shelves, citing safety concerns.

“Coles complies with all legislation regarding the sale of kitchen knives, and this withdrawal is being taken out of an abundance of caution as we conduct a review,” said the spokesperson.

“The safety of our team members and customers is our number one priority across all aspects of our business.”

Commenting on the incident, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) said it fully supports retailers who take initiatives to improve staff safety. 

“The ARA and National Retail Association continue to call for strengthened safety measures to protect retail workers amidst a concerning wave of violence in retail settings, with around 700,000 retail crime incidents recorded nationally in the past year,” said the organisation.

“We commend Coles for taking swift action in response to the recent incident in Queensland.”

Ths suspect has since been charged with attempted murder and remains in custody after appearing in Ipswich Children’s Court. 

The victim, Claudia Campomayor Watt, 63, remains in the hospital in a critical but stable condition.

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