The amount of goods sold last month decreased by 0.3% to its lowest point since February 2021, when the UK experienced widespread Covid lockdowns.

It was widely anticipated that retail sales would increase in October.

The less-than-expected data surfaced when new statistics revealed that the UK economy was not expanding.

The amount of goods and services produced in the UK, or the gross domestic product, stagnated between July and September. Until 2025, the Bank of England anticipates only modest growth in this number.