Retail giant WH Smith has reported savings of £18 million last year, which it puts largely down to improved supply chains.

It also stated new trail schemes, such as introducing better trailer configuration in distribution centres, have made a difference. These new adaptations could save the company an additional £10 million, bringing its total target for the next three years to £22 million.

The report put its success down to making savings across the business, including "the introduction of voice picking in our distribution centres, the remodelling of our transhipment routes to stores and other operational efficiencies".

WH Smith also manages a number of Post Offices, incorporating them into its own stores, which it has been doing since 2007. It already has 82 Post Offices in its stores with at least a further five offices expected to close and relaunch inside WH Smith.

There are currently more than 1,000 stores managed by three distribution centres in Swindon, Dunstable and Birmingham.