Retail sales in the UK saw an unexpected decline of 0.3% in December, defying expectations of a 0.4% increase. Hannah Finselbach, Senior Statistician at the Office for National Statistics, reported that food sales reached their lowest point in over a decade. On a positive note, clothing and shoe stores showed a notable 4.4% sales growth, bouncing back from previous declines. Economists cautioned that these disappointing retail numbers may signal a potential economic contraction in the fourth quarter.