https://worldline.com en Worldline Press Release NewsArticle https://worldline.com/en-nz/home/top-navigation/media-relations/press-releases/the-spending-squeeze-continued-in-may-for-retail-merchants-but-consumers-still-made-time-for-mum Data released by Worldline NZ today shows consumer spending through Core Retail merchants (excluding Hospitality) in its payments network reached $2.93B in May 2024, which is up just +0.8% on May 2023. Worldline NZ’s Chief Sales Officer, Bruce Proffit, reports that the key driver of spending growth remains food, while other merchant sectors experienced lower sales in May. “Spending at Food & Liquor stores was above year ago levels (+4.0%). However, spending at shops selling only Liquor declined (-2.1%), suggesting the key growth driver for consumer spending is the weekly groceries,” says Proffit. “Strip out Food & Liquor merchants from the above total and the spending amongst the rest of the Core Retail merchants (excluding Hospitality) was -4.7% below May last year.” Proffit notes that the only day during the month when spending in the non-food sectors was above year ago levels was Friday, 31st May (+1.1%), the day after the Budget. “Whether this was coincidental or not, this growth bump did not last long as spending reverted to below year-ago levels over the long weekend.” Proffit also notes that Mother’s Day proved to be a bright spot for the Hospitality sector in May. “Spending on Sunday 12th May through Fast Food merchants was $1.0m higher than on the Sundays before and after Mother’s Day and $5.7m higher amongst the rest of the Food & Beverage Services sector. That’s on top of an extra $1.0m spent on Saturday, 11th May, much of it at supermarket and grocery stores,” he says. “Overall that weekend, we saw a lift in spending on clothes, flowers, specialty foods, jewelry, gifts, and time at the hair salon, plus some liquor – much of which was likely gifts for Kiwi mums’ special day.” Worldline Wed Jul 02 06:25:04 UTC 2025 https://worldline.com/content/dam/worldline/global/images/portraits/helene-carlander.png https://worldline.com/en-nz/home/top-navigation/media-relations/press-releases/the-spending-squeeze-continued-in-may-for-retail-merchants-but-consumers-still-made-time-for-mum