WELLINGTON, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand retail spending remained flat in August from a year earlier as households stayed cautious amid rising fuel costs, high unemployment and economic uncertainty, industry body Retail NZ said Tuesday.
Actual core retail card spending was unchanged year-on-year in August, following a 3.5-percent increase in July, according to the latest data from Stats NZ.
Total retail card spending rose 0.8 percent, supported by fuel spending, which increased 4.4 percent from August 2025, although the growth was well below the double-digit increases recorded between March and May, Retail NZ said in a statement.
Retail NZ CEO Carolyn Young said that August marked a return to more cautious consumer behavior after a strong July, which benefited from a public holiday, the men's Football World Cup and an extra trading weekend.
Spending on durable goods was flat, while hospitality spending fell 1.8 percent. Consumables increased 1.4 percent, "well below the rate of inflation," and apparel spending declined 2.5 percent year-on-year, Young said.
Young said shoppers may have been deterred by higher fuel costs, a strongly signaled 0.25-percentage-point increase in the official cash rate in early September, sustained high unemployment and pre-election uncertainty.
She said returning tourist numbers and a potential spring spending boost could provide some encouragement for retailers ahead of the holiday season sales. ■