Offensive Weapons Act 2019 and subsequent changes
The Offensive Weapons Act 2019 is now fully in force in the UK. It introduced a comprehensive framework governing the sale, delivery, possession, and use of bladed articles and corrosive products.
The Act:
• Creates a criminal offence of selling a corrosive product to a person under 18
• Prohibits the sale of bladed articles to under-18s
• Restricts the delivery of bladed articles sold online to residential addresses, subject to limited defences
• Places obligations on both sellers and delivery companies
Bladed articles include knives and other items capable of causing serious injury, with limited exemptions for items made to order or used for legitimate sporting or historical re-enactment purposes.
Online sales and delivery requirements
For remote sales, the law draws a clear distinction between point-of-sale checks and delivery controls.
Sale
Where a bladed article or corrosive product is sold remotely, the seller must have taken all reasonable precautions and exercised all due diligence to prevent a sale to a person under 18.
The legislation deliberately does not prescribe a specific age verification technology. Parliament was explicit that it did not wish to mandate particular electronic systems. Instead, responsibility lies with the seller to choose a method that is likely to prevent under-18s from purchasing by that route.
Delivery
For bladed articles sold online:
• Delivery to a residential address is prohibited unless a statutory defence applies
• A defence exists where the seller has arrangements in place to ensure age verification takes place on delivery
• Delivery companies commit an offence if they deliver a bladed article to an under-18
Where the seller is established outside the UK, the delivery company may still be liable if delivery is made to an under-18 at any premises in the UK.
What is explicitly not sufficient
Government guidance and parliamentary statements make clear that the following will not, on their own, satisfy the statutory defence:
• Self-declaration by the purchaser, including ticking an “over 18” box
• Reliance solely on information provided by the purchaser without independent checks
• Use of payment methods that require the cardholder to be over 18 but do not verify the purchaser’s age
Courts will assess compliance case by case, based on whether the systems used were genuinely likely to prevent under-18 access.
Age Appropriate Design Code
The Age Appropriate Design Code, also known as the Children’s Code, is fully in force.
It applies to any online service likely to be accessed by children under 18, including retail sites, regardless of whether children are the intended audience.
For sites selling knives or corrosive substances, this means:
• Considering whether imagery, product descriptions, or site design could harm children’s mental or physical wellbeing
• Taking proportionate steps to reduce exposure where children may access the site
• Applying age assurance where necessary to prevent harm
If a service reasonably concludes that its content or products are unsuitable for children, effective age gating is expected.
Our view
For online sellers of bladed articles or corrosive substances, age assurance is no longer optional. It is central to demonstrating that all reasonable precautions and due diligence have been exercised.
Given the seriousness of the risks and the criminal liability involved, we recommend:
• Robust age verification at point of sale
• Age verification on delivery where required
• Systems that are demonstrably effective at preventing under-18 access
At a minimum, this will usually require a highly effective level of age assurance,
PLEASE NOTE
This website does not constitute legal advice. You should always seek independent legal advice on compliance matters.