Almost three quarters of New Zealand consumers are using contactless technology, according to locally commissioned research of over 1,000 New Zealanders by Mastercard.

Contactless transaction use has been growing steadily since the technology was introduced in 2014 and December has consistently been the largest spending month, while 38 per cent of those surveyed think retailers need to do more to embrace new payment innovations.

A third of respondents said they get frustrated when retailers do not have contactless technology enabled.

The biggest increases in contactless spending last December were for glassware (up 206 per cent from November to December), household appliances (up 98 per cent from November to December) and house furnishings (up 95 per cent from November to December).

“We saw the number of contactless transactions for house appliances and furnishings almost double last December, and glassware triple, with people splashing out on things they may not otherwise purchase during the year – whether that is for gifts or for themselves,” said Peter Chisnall, country manager for Mastercard New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

“Department store spending is also up 63 per cent in December, with people using these stores to shop for a range of items.

“We also see spikes in things like electronics – up 86 per cent from November and December – and women’s clothing – up 56 per cent.”

In New Zealand, wholesalers (54 per cent), hospitality (52 per cent) and retailers (48 per cent) are the top industries for accepting contactless payments, according to Mastercard.