New Zealand’s electronic card retail sales growth eased notably in October 2026, signaling a loss of momentum in consumer spending. Year-over-year, card retail transactions rose 0.3% in October, down from a 0.9% annual increase recorded in September 2026.
The latest figures, updated on 11 November 2026, show that while spending continues to expand compared with a year earlier, the pace of growth has weakened. The data are based on a year-over-year comparison, measuring October’s performance against October a year ago, and September’s against the same month a year earlier, highlighting a clear deceleration in electronic card-driven retail activity as the final quarter of 2026 begins.