Retail spending charged to electronic cards rose 0.8 per cent last month - the fastest pace since August last year.
Core retail spending, which excludes gas stations and car yards, rose 0.7 per cent to be 5 per cent higher than in February 2012. About two-thirds of core retail spending is via plastic cards. It was led by a 1.4 per cent rise in spending on durable items.
Deutsche Bank chief economist Darren Gibbs said that was likely to reflect keen pricing, made possible by the firm exchange rate, and a stronger housing market.
Spending on consumables, including food, rose 0.6 per cent but spending on fuel, hospitality and apparel all declined.
ASB economist Christina Leung said the improvement in retail card spending continued a trend of steady growth.