Spending has increased slightly in January, while regions hit by extreme weather saw a dip in consumer activity.
Consumer spending across core retailers in January was up slightly on the same month last year, according to figures released today by Worldline NZ, but dips occurred on Wednesday 21st when extreme weather hit several regional areas.
It also processed through all Core Retail merchants in Worldline NZ’s payments network during January 2026 reached NZD 4.023B, which is up +0.6 percent on January 2025 (following adjustments for merchants coming and going from the network.)
Worldline NZ’s Chief Sales Officer, Bruce Proffit, said this modest but positive start to the new year for consumer spending will be welcomed by retailers after the tough past year.
“The annual growth rate seen in January 2026 compared to 2025 was not high but was at least a positive start to the year – but we also noted a sharp fall in spending on Wednesday 21 January, the day of storms and heavy rainfall that had tragic impacts in some areas,” he said.
Underlying core retail spending through Worldline on this Wednesday was down -5.6 percent, from NZD 125m on Wednesday 22 January 2025, compared to NZD 118m on Wednesday 21 January this year.
Proffit said the negative effect on spending continued in Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Waikato (which includes Coromandel) over the following Auckland Anniversary long weekend, including spending at Hospitality merchants.
“The total hospitality spending through Worldline NZ’s payments over the four days ending 26 January for these three regions plus Auckland/Northland was NZD 71.2m, down -8.7 percent on Auckland Anniversary weekend last year,” said Proffit.
“In contrast, Wellington Anniversary weekend had seen hospitality spending down -7.0 percent amongst the combined Palmerston North, Whanganui, Wairarapa, Wellington regions but this appears to be due to local economy factors, rather than the weather-related ones.”
“The net effect of the storms over the month resulted in Bay of Plenty and Gisborne being amongst the weakest regions in the country in terms of the annual change in spending,” said Proffit.
Annual growth of Core Retail spending through Worldline NZ’s payments network in January 2026 was lowest in Bay of Plenty (-3.4 percent), Taranaki (-3.0 percent) and Gisborne (-1.0 percent), in percentage terms. Growth was highest in Whanganui (+2.5 percent), Hawke’s Bay (+1.9 percent) and Palmerston North (+1.9 percent).
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