Sony was forced to admit today that availability of its PlayStation 2 games console in British shops would be “tight” in the run-up to Christmas.

The Japanese electronics giant has suffered a number of supply problems, which have left many stores empty at what should be the busiest time of the year. Stocks dried up at the end of November because factories making the new slimmer version of the top-selling console could not keep up with demand.

The problem was made worse when a tanker got stuck in the Suez Canal, preventing other ships, including one carrying PlayStation 2s destined for the UK, from getting through.

David Wilson, a PlayStation spokesman, said Sony were busy getting fresh stock into stores, but when asked whether the company could guarantee a PS2 for customers before Christmas, he said, “I think it will be tight, because we have missed two weeks’ sales in the busiest part of the year.”

The new PlayStation was selling at a rate of 70,000 a week, but the first week of the supply problems saw the figure drop to 20,000, then to around 6,000 in the second week.

“The issue we now have is that people can’t get them because of two weeks’ worth of pent-up demand,” said Mr Wilson. “What is happening is that as soon as they go into stores they are being snapped up. The situation should improve, and we have them coming in from now until Christmas, but it is not ideal.”