Card Factory’s like-for-like sales advanced 0.9% in the nine months of the year to October 31 but were down 0.4% in the third quarter when weak footfall took a toll.

New stores helped the specialist retailer grow its top line – 38 net new stores have opened in the year to date. The business has also been rolling out a presence in Aldi’s UK stores and expects to be in 440 of the grocer’s branches by the end of the month.

CardFactory.co.uk sales were up 16.2% in the third quarter and 21.9% in the year to date. The retailer will launch a new platform and website later this year.