Kiwis increased their spending, but made fewer shopping trips over summer, Kiwibank’s latest Household Spending Tracker shows.

The bank’s credit and debit card data shows transaction volumes lifted slightly by 0.4 per cent year-on-year in December, before falling 2.3 per cent in January.

“Kiwi are tapping, swiping and inserting their cards less often, but spending more each time,” said Sabrina Delgado, Kiwibank economist.

“That tells us price pressures and constrained budgets remain front and centre. Households are adjusting how and when they spend.”

Spending on household utilities across December and January was approximately 36 per cent higher than a year ago. However, discretionary spending, especially on apparel, declined across both transaction volume and total dollars spent.

Restaurant and bar visits increased over the summer, while cafe visits declined. However, total cafe spending rose despite fewer transactions, reflecting higher costs per visit.

Food spending followed the usual seasonal patterns, with grocery trips spiking in the lead-up to Christmas.

Spending at hardware stores and on home furnishings rose strongly over the summer. Farm-related spending also surged in December.

Stationery and bookshops were another standout, with transaction volumes climbing to almost 5 per cent in December and jumping 14 per cent in January. Total dollar spend rose an average of 18 per cent across the two months.

“Households are still grappling with a number of challenges,” added Delgado. “Beyond the elevated costs of essentials, lingering job insecurity and a still-soggy housing market continue to weigh on consumer confidence and willingness to spend in the near term.”

• Further reading: Kiwis paying more for less, says Kiwibank economist.