Card spending was up in April. Photo / Getty Images
Retail card spending jumped in April.
Stats NZ today said spending was up 0.7 per cent compared with March, when adjusted for seasonal effects.
“This month’s growth of 0.7 per cent follows a similar rise last month,” Stats NZ business performance manager Ricky Ho said.
“Consumables and durables led the growth despite falls in all other categories.”
Consumables included groceries and liquor, and durables included furniture, hardware, and appliances.
Total card spending on consumables increased by $60 million and total card spending on durables was up by $17 million.
Spending on groceries and liquor drove the increase, Stats NZ said.
Year-on-year, all retail card spending increased by $388 million or 6.4 per cent.
The data from Stats NZ included credit and debit cards in shops and online, and both the retail and services industries.
Westpac said the continued rise in retail spending did point to resilience in spending appetites.
“However, a note of caution is needed here,” the bank added.
“Retail prices are continuing to rise at a rapid pace. That means even though consumers have been splashing out more cash, they’ve been getting less bang for their buck.”
And for retailers, increases in operating costs were eating away at profit margins even as nominal sales levels climbed.
Westpac said it expected the tightening in financial conditions to challenge spending appetites in months ahead.
“Consumer prices are continuing to charge higher.”
And interest costs were rising for many households due to higher fixed mortgage rates.
“Those factors will be a significant drag on households’ purchasing power over the coming year,” Westpac added.
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