Retailers hope busy shopping period will reduce stock filling up warehouses

Improved delivery times from suppliers has caught out many big-name shops such as Marks & Spencer

British retailers are hoping that one of the traditionally busiest shopping periods of the year will help reduce the amount of clothing filling warehouses after being caught out by improving supplier-delivery times.

Marks & Spencer is among the big retailers that have found they are receiving orders more quickly than expected, giving them an additional headache just as the UK economy braces for an expected recession.