High street sales failed to bounce back last month as supermarkets suffered a sharp reversal of fortunes, official figures showed.

The Office for National Statistics said retail sales were flat last month after a pick-up in spending on general merchandise was offset by disappointing trading at food stores.

Economists said the figures were below expectations of a 0.2 per cent monthly rise and would increase calls for the Bank of England to cut interest rates further.

Retailing heavyweights Next and Kingfisher yesterday underlined how much the sector is suffering by announcing falls in sales.

Yesterday's ONS figures showed that food sales fell 1.2 per cent last month - the largest fall for more than two years - because consumers were filling their shopping bags with less produce in supermarkets. But there was better news for retailers of clothing, footwear and household goods, which moved more products last month as non-food sales picked up 0.8 per cent.

Standard Chartered economist Gavin Redknap said the overall tone of the report was "undeniably gloomy" and noted that the ONS had changed its earlier estimate for July of a 0.3 per cent sales fall to a bigger decline of 0.6 per cent.

He said: "This will be souring news for the Bank of England, which is counting on a pick-up in consumer activity to help drive growth higher in the months ahead.

"While the consumer slowdown hasn't turned into outright consumer recession, it's becoming obvious that a static housing market and creeping unemployment is doing enough to keep households' money at home."