Blacks Leisure today warned full-year profits would be lower than expected as the gloom on the high street continued to heap pressure on the outdoor clothing group.

Blacks Leisure, which owns the Blacks and Millets brands, said sales had been lower than expected in the last few weeks, prompting the group to lower prices in a bid to pull in more customers.

But low confidence and squeezed consumer spending, driven by high prices, sluggish wage growth and a bleak economic outlook mean the group expects its Christmas and full-year performance to fall below expectations.

Blacks, which more than doubled pre-tax losses in the six months to August 27 at £16m, said it continued to seek additional funding and other financing options to execute turnaround plans, which would include revamping its 300 Blacks and Millets stores.