Retail sales fell for the fifth month in a row in September, with people spending less in shops despite Covid restrictions easing in the summer.
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Sales dipped by 0.2% in September, following a 0.6% drop in August, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Non-food stores were hit hardest by the decline in sales, with customers buying fewer household goods and furniture.
In contrast, fuel sales rose by 2.9%, pushed up by a spike in demand.
Darren Morgan, director of economic statistics at the ONS, said: "Household goods were the main driver of this month's decline, with a fall of nearly 10%, while food sales ticked back up after falling last month."
He added that petrol sales exceeded their pre-pandemic levels for the first time in September. Petrol stations reported strong sales during the last week of the month after warnings over delivery problems due to a shortage of lorry drivers.
Despite coronavirus-related restrictions being lifted in the summer, shopping in-store remained subdued.