From a supply chain planning perspective there is a real concern companies will miss revenue opportunities as they have not been able to clear existing stocks . With inflation hampering consumer demand and consumers ’ knowledge of these high stockpiles , consumers are waiting on product clearances before being able to focus on Christmas . In our Global Insights analysis we reported that “ as warehouses in both Europe and the US are full , the sizeable inventory levels resulting from the disappointing earnings reported by nearly all major retailers will continue to prompt mark-down sales and a cut-back on excess inventories .”

And Christmas peak season is not the only headache for retailers , who are already planning Spring Collections . In some cases , we have seen clothing retailers ordering next year ’ s collections back in the first half of the year . With shipping transit times coming down , it means product is getting to its destination quicker , but then dwell times in ports start to add unnecessary costs which may have to be passed on to already cash-strapped consumers .

That is not great when we already know inflation is clearly having an impact on consumer demand . While inventory has grown by 30

24