The World Cup did wonders for the supermarkets last month, while shops selling household goods continued to prosper from the revived housing market.
Together they more than offset slower sales at department stores, clothes shops and internet and mail order retailing.
Overall seasonally adjusted retail sales were 0.9 per cent higher than in May and 3.7 per cent ahead of June last year, National Statistics reported yesterday.
Over the latest three months, sales were 2.1 per cent ahead of those in the first quarter of the year - the strongest three-monthly growth since February, 2004 - and 3.6 per cent higher year on year.
June was the fifth month running that retail sales expanded, the first such sequence since January, 2004.
NS also revised its earlier numbers upwards to show a 0.7 per cent increase between April and May for a 4.2 per cent annual gain.
Jim Quantrill, Midlands director of Barclays business banking covering retailing and wholesaling, described the outcome for June as mixed.
"Although the food and drink sectors thrived, with people stocking up ahead of the big games, customers were more likely to be in front of their newly acquired plasma televisions rather than in the shops," he said.
Mr Quantrill doubts if the present heatwave is helping retailers.
"As people prepare for barbecues and summer parties, the food and drink sectors continue to do well, but customers are less inclined to be in the mood for shopping when temperatures are high," he said.
"The clothing sector is not having an easy time. "
