Total sales for the 14 weeks up to and including 7 January remained largely stagnant, up 0.6% to £83.7m. Store sales fell by 6.8% to £44.9 million with a like for like sales decline of 4.2%.

Jonathan Hart, Thorntons’ CEO, said the sales figures had fallen below expectations over the Christmas period and he complained of an “extremely tough retail environment”.

“Consumers have remained very cost conscious over the period and have been purchasing selectively. There has also been a high level of promotional activity across the market,” he said.

This has been evident across all our sales channels and has negatively impacted our gross margins and consequently profitability in the first half of the year.”

“We expect continued weakness in consumer sentiment throughout 2012,” he said.

The company is set to announce its profit figures in its interim results next month.

Thortons also announced that former retail financier Michael Killick will join the company as finance director when the incumbent Mark Robson leaves next month.