Samsung Electronics has been forced to halt orders and ask suppliers to delay delivery of components for several weeks, as inventory bloats and inflation threatens demand.

Nikkei Asia has cited “four people familiar with the situation” who claim this slowdown applies to parts and components for TVs, home appliances and smartphones, ranging from packaging to chips and electronics parts.

Samsung has reportedly told its suppliers the company needs to “closely review its inventory levels of both components and final products to ensure stock on hand is manageable”, with the slowdown expected to last until the end of July.

One company has seen its planned shipment to Samsung in July halved.

The company’s inventory assets reached A$52.36 billion at the end of March, up from A$46 billion in December. The ratio of inventory to total assets likewise leaped to 10.8 per cent, from 9.7 per cent the year prior.

Just last month, Samsung said it still planned to ship 270 million smartphones in 2022, the same level as the year prior.