Drivers who deliver stock to Argos stores around the country are set to go on strike for three days in a fallout over pay.
All 65 drivers employed at Argos's main distribution centre in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, plan to walk out on strike on 20 December. The drivers claim to be owed an average of £700 in unpaid holiday pay.
Unite, the union representing the drivers, has warned that because they deliver stock to all seven of Argos' regional depots, which in turn deliver stock to all stores, Christmas deliveries could be "seriously disrupted".
Unite regional officer Rick Coyle said the company that runs the distribution centre, Wincanton, has "allowed this saga to get out of hand".
"This was brought to the attention of Wincanton about two and a half years ago," he told BuzzFeed News. "In no way is this a surprise to them."
The dispute, Coyle said, was about changes to holiday pay rules that came into force in 2014 to ensure bank holidays and overtime are calculated into leave allowances.
"The drivers have become really quite angry that despite being polite for two years, and politely stern for the last six months, they’re not getting anywhere," he said.
“There will be a lot of very unhappy Argos customers if they don’t receive the iPhones, TVs, and white goods that they have ordered this Christmas."
A spokesman for Argos said the company hoped both sides would come to a "swift resolution" to avoid the industrial action.
The company said it was working hard to ensure the action did not impact Christmas deliveries, and said it had "contingency plans in place".
BuzzFeed News contacted Wincanton but it did not immediately respond to request for comment.