Retail sales volumes grew by a better-than-expected 0.4% last month, despite Black Friday pushing many pre-Christmas purchases into November.
The weakest December growth for two years beat City expectations that the figure would be lower due to the US-imported sales phenomenon shifting shopping patterns.
Year-on-year growth was 4.3%, and the total spent in the UK retail industry last month was £45.2 billion.
The data was skewed by Black Friday sales being included in November’s figures for 2014 but featuring in December’s numbers the year before.
Underlying figures comparing sales in the last quarter of the year with the same period in 2013 showed the best growth in a decade, with 5% improvement.
Average prices were 2.2% lower last month compared with December 2013, the largest fall since June 2002, largely as a result of plunging petrol prices.
Department stores suffered from Black Friday as their online sales and month-on-month volumes fell.
Supermarket sales volumes grew 1.3% last month compared with November, and by 1.1% year on year. Non-food stores fell 0.6% on the month with textile, clothing and footwear stores falling 1.1%.
The value of internet sales decreased 2.8% compared with November, the largest fall since August 2012.
The strong three-month performance of the sector will provide a boost to overall gross domestic product figures published next week.
* Discount chain B&M European Value Retail enjoyed a 4.5% increase in UK like-for-like sales over Christmas.
The company has outlets in Dundee, Forfar, Leven, Perth and Glenrothes.
It achieved total group sales growth of 28.8% to £527.9 million in the 13 weeks to December. This made the total group sales increase for the nine months 29.3%. UK sales for the 13 weeks increased 20.5% to £493.8m.
CEO Simon Arora said the group is confident of meeting full-year market expectations.
It expects to open at least 50 net new stores in the UK this financial year.
Shares yesterday rose 2%