Spending in the F&B sector in March rebounded compared to February, reaching approximately $700 million as restrictions were lifted, according to data released by Worldline.  

However, overall spending was down 16.3 per cent year on year as a year earlier, the sector was not impacted by the Covid-19 Omicron variant. The rebound resulted from an increasing number of Kiwis are spending more at local cafes and restaurants as the government eased restrictions. 

Head of data at Worldline, George Putnam, projects that the gap between the pre-Covid level and this year narrowed significantly. 

“As international travel rules continue to ease further in the months ahead, the yardstick will be how well businesses are doing relative to pre-Covid levels,” he said.

Meanwhile, the rest of the core retail sector saw $2.9 billion in spending last month, surging 2.5 per cent compared to the same period last year, and up 10 per cent on pre-Covid levels. 

In particular, spending on hardware, appliances and furniture was up 23 per cent compared to March 2019. In contrast, book purchasing was down 5 per cent compared to 2019 levels. Clothing and footwear were down 20 per cent and 30 per cent respectively.