Retailers reported a 0.5% rebound in July after the Euros football championship and summer discounting fuelled shopping.
The increase contrasts with a sharp fall in sales volumes, which measures the quantity bought, when poor weather dampened demand in June.
Department stores and shops selling sports goods shifted higher volumes of gear last month.
But the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which released the figures, said it was a “poor month for clothing and furniture shops and falling fuel sales despite prices at the pump falling”.
Although retail sales grew in July, the increase was below the 0.7% rise some economists had expected and follows a “mixed picture” across sectors.
While department stores and non-food shops were strong, sales of motor fuel showed a 1.9% drop, despite the price of petrol falling by 1.4p per litre and diesel dipping by 1.1p.
In June, petrol and diesel sales jumped by 2.2%.
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