Card spending by Kiwi consumers crept up by 1.4 per cent month-on-month in May according to data from Stats NZ, or by $123 million. 

Non-retail sales – in categories including medical and health care, travel and tours, postage and courier delivery – increased by $100 million (5.5 per cent) in May.  A significant contributor was fuel, up by $51 million (8.9 per cent) on month. 

“The past few weeks in May saw fuel prices rising, which is reflected in electronic card spending for May,” said Stats NZ business performance manager Ricky Ho.

Total spending via electronic cards, was $8.4 billion, up 3.1 per cent compared with May last year, however the number of transactions declined by 7.4 per cent.