UK retail sales fell 0.5% in June, the Office for National Statistics said on Thursday.
This was compared to a 1.4% increase in the previous month which was revised up from an initial 1.3% advance.
Economists had forecast a gain of 0.1%.
Year-on-year, retail sales rose by 2.9% last month.
Analysts had penciled in a 3.7% gain.
Sales in May advanced 4.1% from the year before, which was revised up from an initial 3.9% increase.
Core retail sales, which exclude automobile sales and fuel, decreased by 0.6% in June, after gaining 1.4% a month earlier. May’s advance was revised up from an initial increase of 1.3%.
Economists had expected a 0.3% drop.
Year-on-year, core retail sales gained 3.0% in June, compared to expectations for a 3.5% increase.
A month earlier, they registered a 4.5% advance which was revised up from an initial 4.4% rise.
