Retail card spending up in March

Retail card spending up in March

Retail spending using electronic cards was $4.7 billion in March 2015, up $167 million (3.7 percent) from March 2014, Statistics New Zealand said today.

In actual terms, card spending rose in all retail industries except for fuel.

When adjusted for seasonal effects, retail spending was up 0.8 percent in March 2015 compared with February 2015. This rise follows a 1.1 percent rise in February.

"After removing seasonal effects, spending rose in four of the six retail industries," business indicators manager Neil Kelly said. "The largest increase came from the consumables industry."

Core retail spending (which excludes the vehicle-related industries) rose 0.8 percent in March 2015, following a 1.2 percent rise in February 2015.

The total value of electronic card spending, including the two non-retail industries (services and other non-retail), rose 1.3 percent. This rise follows a 0.4 percent rise in February 2015.

Trends for the total, retail, and core retail series have generally been rising since these series began in October 2002.

This data is not adjusted for price changes and is available only at the national level.

ENDS

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