Christmas spending record set today

EFTPOS provider Paymark says at the peak between midday and 1pm shoppers were ringing up 131 transactions every second.

CEO, Simon Tong, says the resulting 438,000 transactions for the hour is a record. However he says New Zealanders are continuing to spend at an amazing rate with over 100 transactions a second every hour since 10am.

Mr Tong says he expects in excess of $225 million to be spent today through EFTPOS alone, and that too will be a record.

These figures are echoed by Westfield New Zealand General manager Linda Trainer, who says all their malls throughout the country are busier than last Christmas Eve. She is reminding shoppers Westfield malls will close at 6pm.

The Warehouse is keeping its stores open until 9pm for down to the wire gift buying.

- NEWSTALK ZB