Despite Black Friday delivering the biggest shopping day for non-food retailers, overall spending still fell short of last year’s levels.

Research from Worldline NZ shows core retail merchants selling non-food goods processed $55.6 million in consumer spending on November 28, surpassing this year’s previous peak of $49.1 million on Easter Saturday.

However, after adjusting for merchants entering or leaving the network, Black Friday spending was 6.2 per cent lower than last year, with a 4.6 per cent decline recorded across the three-day weekend.

Worldline NZ chief sales officer Bruce Proffit said the softer performance reflects broader spending patterns seen throughout November.

“It appears that consumer budgets are still constrained at the end of the year,” Proffit explains.

“Clothing merchants experienced higher spending than last year’s Black Friday over the weekend, but spending elsewhere was generally down.”

Proffit noted the continued shift in where consumers are choosing to spend.

Across the three groups that the company tracks weekly, Worldline NZ says the pattern over the month continues to show more spending at food and liquor stores but less at hospitality providers and less amongst the general category of core retail merchants.

“Merchants will no doubt be hopeful for spending growth in the busier few weeks remaining before Christmas,” concluded Proffit.