New Zealand’s consumer spending via electronic cards weakened further in October 2026, with retail sales falling 0.7% month-over-month, according to data updated on 11 November 2026. This follows a 0.5% month-on-month decline in September 2026, signaling a deepening pullback in card-based retail activity.
The figures show that, on a month-over-month basis, October’s contraction was larger than September’s, suggesting that households may be becoming more cautious in their spending. The “actual” October result of -0.7% reflects the change from September, while the previous reading of -0.5% was measured against August, highlighting a consecutive two-month slide in electronic card retail sales.
