SHOPPERS have blasted stores for stocking shelves high with Christmas goodies months before the festive season.

In a survey carried out by Super Marketing, almost two-thirds of people interviewed thought October far too early to be confronted with festive gifts.

But more than half did say seeing things earlier helped with budgeting during this expensive time of the year.

Marks and Spencer in Bolton have had novelty goods on display for a fortnight and the shelves are set to swell with more gifts next week.

Assistant manager Jenny Jones said: "We have gone slightly earlier this year than in the past. "This gives people the chance to look at what's on offer and gives them to time to make up their mind. But sales are up so people are buying early."

And to make sure shoppers get into the Christmas spirit decorations lavishly adorn shop walls while Santa tunes take over the air-waves. George Coleman, manager of the Market Place said: "Our decorations go up on November 5 or 6 every year and then most of the shops in the centre put theirs up.

"In this day and age, present buying at Christmas can be expensive and I think it's great that people are able to spread their shopping over a period of time."

Super Marketing research also showed a quarter of people surveyed thought there should be more loyalty reward points, like Bolton's recently launched BEN-backed CentrePoint scheme, to ease the pinch on the Christmas purse.

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