Kiwis’ popular hobbies have changed post Covid, according to online platform Trade Me’s latest Marketplace Index. 

The most popular categories onsite include home and living and fashion. Other categories, such as gaming, pottery, music and instruments, antiques and collectibles, also recorded year-on-year growth last month. 

“Thanks to the lockdowns and New Zealanders spending a lot more time at home than they perhaps wanted to last year, we have seen new hobbies flourish and others reemerge,” said Ivan Fuyala, head of Trade Me Marketplace. 

Plants, PS5 and Pokemon cards have become the most searched items during the post Covid-19 period. Searches for Pokemon cards in February increased 180 per cent year on year. 

“In the past seven days alone, we have seen 22,000 searches for Pokemon onsite,” said Fuyala. 

Other entertainment, such as PS5 and Lego, also appeared on Trade Me’s list of top searches. Houseplants have taken off, becoming one of the most popular Kiwis’ new hobbies. Searches for houseplants surged 39 per cent year on year. 

“There is no doubt New Zealand was part of a global trend and steadily warming to online shopping, but due to a number of Covid related factors we’ve seen online shopping resurge in popularity,” Fuyala added.