Retail giant Next has reported subdued sales in the final quarter of 2011, after failing to discount in the run-up to Christmas.

A statement from the firm claimed the figures were ‘disappointing given that snow adversely impacted sales in 2010’, although sales figures may have suffered due to the company’s refusal to discount products in the run-up to Christmas, as many competitors did.

Next stated, ‘A number of factors have subdued sales in the final quarter and it is hard to judge to what extent warm winter weather and higher levels of competitor discounting masked the deeper, longer lasting, economic effects.’

Shares in the company tumbled 5 per cent at the stock exchange’s opening bell before recovering slightly, down 3.36 per cent at 2,649p at 9.50am.

Total sales between 1 August and 24 December rose 3.1 per cent on last year, with a 16.9 per cent increase in online sales making up for a 2.7 per cent decline in store sales.

The firm continues to expect its full year profits to be approximately £565 million, an increase of 4 per cent on last year, which would deliver an earnings per share increase of 11.3 per cent.

The report is the first Christmas update from a retail firm, and is likely to be seen as a bellwether of the embattled sector, with analysts worried that stores that did discount products might see a drop in profits.

In its trading statement the firm issued a cautious forecast for 2012, claiming, ‘Internal budgets for the year ahead show modest growth in overall sales, with profit before tax only slightly up on this year.’

The firm highlighted ‘adverse effects on business confidence’ from the ongoing Eurozone crisis and a ‘continuing credit squeeze on businesses and consumers’ as the negative headwinds for 2012, with a likely drop in inflation providing some comfort for consumers.