UK retail sales rose fell 0.3% in August, the Office for National Statistics said on Thursday.
This was compared to a 0.9% increase in the previous month.
Economists had forecast a 0.1% drop.
Year-on-year, retail sales rose by 3.3% last month.
Analysts had penciled in a 2.3% gain.
Sales in July advanced 3.8% from the year before.
Core retail sales, which exclude automobile sales and fuel, increased by 0.3% in August, after rising 1.1% a month earlier.
Economists had expected a 0.2% decline.
Year-on-year, core retail sales rose 3.5% in August, compared to expectations for a 2.5% increase.
A month earlier, they registered a 4.0% advance which was revised up from an initial 3.7% rise.
“Retail sales remained strong in the three months to August, with continued growth across all sectors,” ONS statistician Rhian Murphy said.
“Food and household goods stores particularly benefited from the warm weather when compared with last summer,” she added.
