15.03.202621:45:00UTC+00New Zealand Electronic Card Retail Sales Accelerate to 1.5% in February, Up from 0.4% in January

New Zealand’s electronic card retail sales growth picked up notably in February 2026, with the year-over-year indicator rising to 1.5%, up from 0.4% in January 2026. The data, updated on 15 March 2026, highlight a strengthening in consumer spending momentum compared to the start of the year.

Both the current and previous readings are measured on a year-over-year basis, comparing each month’s change to the same month a year earlier. The February improvement suggests that households increased their card-based spending more robustly than in January, potentially indicating firmer underlying demand in the retail sector as the first quarter progresses.

While the release does not break down category-level performance, the acceleration in electronic card retail sales is likely to be of interest to retailers and policymakers monitoring the resilience of consumer activity and its implications for New Zealand’s broader economic outlook.