Jan 2026: New year, new spending
New Zealand's monthly retail spending DASHBOARD
Early each month we release our Retailwatch dashboard that offers a high-level view of retail trends showing customer spend across categories, online and in-store, of the previous month. Get the dashboard and insights delivered straight to your inbox by signing up today.
Retailwatch January 2026 analysis
An annual State of the Nation report highlights that New Zealand continues to grapple with issues such as unemployment. However, the first Retailwatch of 2026 reveals that many Kiwis are still enjoying some non-negotiable discretionary spending – and certain sectors are seeing the windfall.
See how your company's sector performed in the latest Retailwatch dashboard.
TREAT YOURSELF
Four sectors experienced growth of more than 10% year-on-year: Recreation and Entertainment, Travel and Accommodation, Health Goods and Services, and Furniture, Appliances and Homewares. It seems Kiwis are making purchases that make them feel good, which you may call “The Lipstick Effect”. A phenomenon where consumers still indulge in treats and experiences during hard times, for a much-needed boost of joy and escapism.
The treat yourself mindset heavily affected the Travel and Accommodation sector, which soared to new heights. It’s common to see a travel spike in January as families enjoy the long Kiwi summer, however the surge in international trip bookings suggests future travel plans are an increasingly popular back-to-work tonic for many hard-working Kiwis.
Will the feel-good factor continue to drive consumers in 2026? Time will soon tell… but don’t leave it to chance. Summer is a time to be forecasting more than just good beach weather. Get a more accurate prediction of upcoming spending in your company and chat to us today.
The opportunity for domestic brands
If anything is clear in this edition of Retailwatch, it’s that Kiwis are still looking for a dopamine hit with their shopping. And there’s opportunity for domestic brands to claim more for the ecommerce pie.
Struggling to understand where to start with ecom? We can help you better connect with your customers online and find ways to create a loyal fanbase. We're here to help you win.
Curious about New Zealand’s monthly retail spend?
Our free dashboard helps you track major trends - perfect for Kiwi brands expanding their market share, or Australian companies eyeing New Zealand for growth. Complete the form below and keep an eye on your inbox for the latest dashboard view.
WHERE DOES THE RETAILWATCH DATA COME FROM?
Retailwatch is a joint initiative between Datamine and a Banking and Financial partner. This partner provides Datamine with anonymised and aggregated retail spend data; we apply algorithms and national / regional weightings in order to create the report. Retailer categories are taken from the Merchant Category Codes allocated by MasterCard and VISA. Monthly and Quarterly periods of 28 days and 91 days are used to ensure the same number of weekdays/weekends are included for comparisons.
Please note that the figures within the Retailwatch Dashboard are GST exclusive.
