Post-Christmas spending spree tops last year's

Spending was up nearly 7 per cent on last year. Photo / Steven McNicholl

Shoppers went on a spending spree this Christmas, pushing Boxing Day sales higher than last year.

But the traditional big retail day was still beaten by December 23.

Paymark figures show shoppers spent $105.8 million in electronic transactions on Boxing Day - 6.9 per cent more than last year.

But the big Boxing Day blow-out did not dislodge Friday, December 23 as the biggest shopping day of the year, with $230 million spent.

All the regions except Gisborne had an increase in spending on Boxing Day.

Figures were up 7.7 per cent in Christchurch despite the pre-Christmas earthquakes.

Paymark head of sales and marketing Paul Whiston said: "I guess it shows that nothing gets in the way of a good sale.

"I think there was an element of people returning to the malls after having to leave all of a sudden on Friday and not finishing their shopping."

National spending on Christmas Eve fell 14 per cent to $192 million. Mr Whiston put it down to people spreading their last-minute shopping over Friday and Saturday rather than opting for the traditional Christmas Eve rush.

The chief executive of Briscoes, Rebel Sports and Living and Giving, Rod Duke said his stores had not followed the national trend.

All were "shopped furiously", and Christmas Eve was by far the busiest day of the year for all three brands.

The group had noticed a dip in Christchurch sales.

"Our Boxing Day was around about the same as last year and I think if Christchurch had been normal then it would have been better than last year."

Te Awa in North Hamilton and Sylvia Park shopping centres in Auckland reported record numbers, with 40,000 and 70,000 shoppers respectively visiting on Boxing Day.