Card Factory has warned over profits in the face of weak high street footfall.

The retail chain said challenging conditions have persisted into the key festive trading period, meaning UK store sales have been “lower than previous expectations”.

It said it expects to deliver an adjusted pre-tax profit of between £55 million and £60 million for the year unless trading significantly improves.

The compares with previous expectations of a roughly £70 million profit.

The retailer’s shares had lifted since April amid a boost from resilient trading and progress in plans to improve its performance.

However, it said on Friday that most recent trading has been impacted by “pressures facing the UK consumer”.

The company said: “It is an inescapable fact that these pressures have impacted consumer

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