Source: Sharecast
Retail sales fell 2.7% following a 1.3% increase in April, which was revised up from a 1.2% jump. Economists were expecting a much more modest 0.7% decline.
The data showed that sales volumes at food stores fell 5% in May following 4.7% growth the month before. This was the largest monthly fall since May 2021.
The ONS said the fall was due mainly to reduced sales volumes in supermarkets, with retailers pointing to inflation and customer cutbacks, alongside reduced sales of alcohol and tobacco products.
ONS senior statistician Hannah Finselbach said: "Retail sales fell sharply in May with their largest monthly fall since the end of 2023.
"This was mainly due to a dismal month for food retailers, especially supermarkets, following strong sales in April. Feedback suggested reduced purchases for alcohol and tobacco with customers choosing to make cutbacks.
"The falls were consistent across all sectors with clothing and household goods stores reporting slow trading due to reduced footfall. There was also decreased demand for DIY items as consumers took advantage of the good weather over the previous few months.
"Looking at the wider picture, retail sales are still up across the latest three-months as a whole."
