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.
Things may be looking up for retailers. Business confidence has hit an 11-year high1 and Kiwis are parting with their cash, resulting in over $6 billion of retail spend in November, including a 17.3% increase in online shopping compared to last year.
However, we can’t just point fingers at Black Friday. Consumer spending on the big day dropped 6.2% compared to last year2.
For more, check out the Retailwatch dashboard for a high-level view of New Zealand retail spend this month.
Health continues to be top of mind for Kiwis3 as health goods and services increase 10.4% compared to the same month last year - a trend we've seen develop over 2025.
These health-conscious trends parallel the slower growth of the liquor market. Some Kiwis are opting for low-carb and low-alcohol options4, which can easily be picked up at the supermarket. Looking to tap into the health-conscious consumer? Tracking buyer journeys and share of wallet can help liquor stores understand the evolving demand.
Despite tight pockets and cost of living pressures, consumers are still not compromising on fun. Recreation and entertainment continue to surge, with November seeing a 15.5% increase year-on-year and online purchases leading the charge.
Kiwis are no longer shy of big crowds as the memories of social distancing fade away – as illustrated by 55,000 fans enjoying Metallica at Eden Park, packing Auckland hotels and paying up to $2,000 a night5. Live events are tipped to multiply in 2026 as the government announced a fund to boost the sector6.
If you’re in travel, accommodation, or hospitality, it may be time to track your data to see staffing demands for events and rethink how you’ll capture the wallets of event-going consumers. Get in touch to see how we can help.
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.
Sources:
1 ‘Looking up’: Recovery taking hold as business confidence hits 11-year high
2 Black Friday sales fall short of last year’s figures
3 NZ consumers are redefining wellness
4 Kiwis drinking the same amount of beer, but reaching for lower alcohol options
5 Eden Park boss Nick Sautner warns stadium would be ‘extinct’ without new events
6 First tranche of $70m Events Package announced
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.