New Zealand’s electronic card retail sales growth strengthened in March 2026, with the year-over-year rate rising to 2.7%, up from 1.5% in February 2026. The latest figures, updated on 16 April 2026, indicate a faster pace of consumer spending through electronic payment channels compared with the same month a year earlier.
The data are based on a year-over-year comparison, measuring March 2026 sales against March 2025, while the previous reading compared February 2026 with February 2025. The pickup from 1.5% to 2.7% suggests a firmer momentum in retail activity heading into the second quarter, as consumers increased their use of electronic cards across the economy.
