This Christmas could be one of the most understocked in recent history, according to KPMG's head of retail David McCorquodale.

As an example, he stated clothes were something many retailers were cutting back on, due to cautious consumer spending.

This may have a severe knock-on effect for many logistics and supply chain companies, which arguably receive increased business at this time of the year.

A lot of big retail names outsource their distribution in such a manner - this month, for instance, Asda awarded a £2 million contract for the three facilities responsible for its George clothes line to the SDI group.

Mr McCorquodale said: "The end game has to be a shop that looks stocked on Christmas Eve, but supported by a storeroom that's nearly empty."

His comments can be viewed as an early warning for logistics and delivery firms, since empty warehouses do not require any transport options. Many stores often have dedicated centres for transporting online-purchased goods, but this can still be influenced by a lack of demand.