Chicago

FOR the second year in a row, Wal-Mart Stores Inc will begin its holiday layaway programme two weeks early, hoping for a head start to the year-end shopping season and a repeat of last year's strong toy sales driven by Star Wars products.

Layaway programmes, which let shoppers pay for holiday gifts in instalments, tend to have a big impact on sales. Analyst estimates suggest the programme may account for as much as 15 per cent of holiday revenues at Walmart stores in poorer areas of the United States.