Budget fears and unseasonably warm weather meant consumers spent far less than expected last month, according to official figures.
In a sign of a slowing economy, retail sales fell a sharp 0.7%, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
A drop of 0.3% was forecasted by economists polled by the Reuters news agency.
Money blog: Energy bills to rise in January – and predicted to stay high
The main fall off in buying was in clothing stores, which fell by 3.1% over the month as October temperatures remained high.
Just a month earlier, in September, spending rose 0.1%.
Retail sales figures are significant as household consumption measured by the data is the largest expenditure across the UK economy.
The data can also help track how consumers feel about their financial position and the economy more broadly.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.
