Mixed Retail Sector Performance

Consumer spending patterns were mixed in the first full week of December in New Zealand, with pre-Christmas shopping up for food and liquor, but down across most other retail sectors, according to data from Worldline.

Spending through the company's payments network reached $785m in the first seven days of the month, 1.4% up on the equivalent period in 2022 and 13.9% up on 2019.

However, the pattern varied by sector, with spending up 6.7% at food and liquor merchants but down 6.5% across other core retail merchants.

Annual spending growth in December ranged from +8.2% at chemists to -9.2% at clothing and footwear stores.