New Zealand’s electronic card transactions fell 0.7% in October 2026, following a 0.4% decline in September. Spending on durable goods dropped 2.1%, while motor vehicle purchases and hospitality spending decreased by 2.0% and 1.6%, respectively. Transactions for consumable goods (-0.3%) and apparel (-0.7%) also edged lower. Fuel was the only retail category to record an increase, rising 4.8% amid elevated prices.
The total value of electronic card spending, including non-retail categories, declined 1.2% in October, as spending on services fell 1.1%. Cardholders made 173 million transactions across all industries during the month, with total electronic card spending reaching $9.6 billion. On an annual basis, credit electronic card spending rose 0.3% in October.
