Monthly retail household spending has jumped, but grocery spending fell when lockdown eased and people went out to dine.
The latest report by Stats NZ showed retail spending has gone up by 9.6 per cent for the month of November in comparison to October 2021.
The seasonally adjusted total retail card spending rose by $543 million driven by purchases of furniture, electrical, and hardware, Stats NZ said today.
"Card sales continue to rise in November, as Covid-19 alert levels eased for upper North Island, which allowed more non-essential retail businesses to open," business performance manager Ricky Ho said.
Within the retail spending category, durable goods went up the most in seasonally adjusted terms, up to $331m (22.9 per cent) from last month. This industry includes furniture, electrical, hardware, department stores, and sports goods.
