Kiwis spend $62m in Boxing Day sales, down on 2019 total

Kiwis spent $75m on Christmas Eve, according to Paymark figures. Photo / File

Kiwi bargain-hunters splashed out $62 million on Boxing Day, according to electronic transaction company Paymark.

However, retail spending - excluding food, liquor and hospitality - dropped 2.2 per cent compared to last year following a bumper spend of more than $75m on Christmas Eve.

The Saturday spend was up around 20 per cent on Saturdays in early November, before the Christmas spree started.

Spending on the day after Boxing Day was down even more at 23.6 per cent compared to last year, but the sharper decline was likely due to the day after Boxing Day being a Sunday this year.

Spokesman Paul Brislen said the strong pre-Christmas period was also possibly an influence on the lower-than-usual Boxing Day patterns.

"As per usual, the busiest days of the year were the immediate days before Christmas Day.

"Spending on the two days before Christmas Day was up 10.4 per cent on last year for the same group of merchants, with the busiest day being Wednesday, two days before Christmas."

Christmas Eve spending of $75m was well up on 2019 when $70m was spent.

Looking across the pre and post-Christmas period, annual spending for the five weeks ending Sunday, December 27 was up 5 per cent on last year, which included a strong start over the Black Friday four days of sales.