British retail sales increased by 0.4 per cent in August from the level in July, official data shows.

Retail sales, a key indicator of household spending confidence, also jumped 3.9 per cent compared with August 2013, the Office for National Statistics revealed in a statement issued on Thursday.

The data however missed market expectations for a monthly gain of 0.6 per cent and an annual jump of 4.2 per cent, according to analysts polled by Dow Jones Newswires.

AFP