NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Business / Companies / Retail

'Pandemonium' in New Zealand's malls ahead of Christmas

Aimee Shaw
By Aimee Shaw
Business Reporter·NZ Herald·
20 Dec, 2019 04:46 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Westfield expects Saturday to be one of its busiest shopping days the season. Photo / Supplied

Westfield expects Saturday to be one of its busiest shopping days the season. Photo / Supplied

With just five days to go until Christmas, it is no surprise New Zealand's malls are flooded with people, with this week tipped to be the busiest of the year.

Scentre Group, which operates St Lukes, Albany, Newmarket, Riccarton and Manukau Westfield shopping malls, says record numbers of shoppers have been through its centres this week, with foot traffic set to exceed forecasts.

READ MORE:
• Why Xmas shopping frustration could become a thing of the past
• New Zealand's most sought after Christmas gifts revealed
• The best times to go shopping to avoid the Christmas rush
• Kiwi shoppers ahead of usual last-minute Christmas rush: survey

Westfield says "multiple tens of thousands" of people have already been through each of its centres, with the weekend expected to bring in further "record numbers".

Paul Gardner, regional manager for Scentre Group, has visited each of the ASX-listed mall operator's New Zealand centres this week. He says all have been in similar states of crazy.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"It certainly feels busier than ever," Gardner told the Herald.

As Gardner puts it, there's only one place busier than Westfield Newmarket in Auckland right now, and in the month of December, and that's Auckland Airport.

Carparks are scarce and the loading docks at Westfield Newmarket are humming, while supermarkets continue to restock their shelves.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Westfield expects Saturday to be one of its busiest shopping days the season. Photo / Supplied
Westfield expects Saturday to be one of its busiest shopping days the season. Photo / Supplied

Westfield malls had been bustling with shoppers ever since Black Friday. In previous years there would often be a week of respite between the typically busy Black Friday week and the seven to 10 days before Christmas, but this was not the case this year, Gardner said.

"We had a record Black Friday and it didn't stop in the week after, with Cyber Monday onwards. In previous years it went into a bit of a lull for a week or so, but that hasn't happened."

Paymark figures show transactions in the month of December are up about 50 per cent, Gardner said that was inline with what the mall operator had experienced this month.

"It feels busier in proportion with the number of transactions."

Discover more

Retail

Last-minute Christmas shop sees malls around the country 'at capacity'

22 Dec 12:50 AM
Business

First Harrods China store to include bar and tea room

22 Dec 09:13 PM

Gardner expects Saturday to be the busiest trading day of year for Westfield, while Kiwi Property, which operates New Zealand's largest mall, Sylvia Park, expects Sunday at noon to be its busiest, based on shopper activity last year.

Westfield centres throughout the country have extended their hours or trade until 10pm this week and will be open until midnight on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, as has Auckland-based Sylvia Park.

Gardner said the extended trading hours had been in response to activity in the centres in the lead up to Christmas last year. "Three consecutive midnights is the heaviest we've been."

Paul Gardner, Scentre Group regional manager. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Paul Gardner, Scentre Group regional manager. Photo / Jason Oxenham

Retailers and malls have an extra day of Christmas trade this year, with Monday being the day before Christmas Eve and Christmas falling mid-week.

"It is perfectly set up this year - this is probably the best possible scenario because it means you get the whole weekend [of trade] and the Monday and Tuesday as well. I think it will line up for a bumper year, partly because of Christmas landing in the middle of the week."

With Black Friday proven to have been a record and foot traffic being un-relentless, the indicators implied the Christmas trading period would be a record, Gardner said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Saturday and Sunday this week are expected to be "bumper days" for retail. Photo / Supplied
Saturday and Sunday this week are expected to be "bumper days" for retail. Photo / Supplied

He said shoppers seemed to be positive and happy, which often translated into more spending, he said.

Paymark figures show spending in the last seven days before Christmas rises to be 50 per cent more than the average week spread across the year. Spending at department stores, recreational goods and liquor stores and clothing outlets doubles in the lead-up to Christmas.

Shoppers spent $6.4 billion in the first seven days of December, according to figures from Paymark, which processes 75 per cent of the country's electronic transactions.

Sylvia Park expects Sunday - at noon - to be its busiest shopping day of the season. Photo / File
Sylvia Park expects Sunday - at noon - to be its busiest shopping day of the season. Photo / File

Jacquie Johnson, centre manager of Westfield St Lukes, told NZ Herald Focus Live that gift cards seemed to be a popular choice for shoppers this Christmas.

Johnson said it was "pandemonium" at St Lukes - just how the mall liked it at this time of the year.

Drones had proven popular gifts this Christmas among parents, along with phones and electronics for teenagers. Skateboards and unicorns had proven popular gifts among children this year, as were books and Harry Potter-related merchandise, she said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Retail

Technology

Top 5 takeaways from Samsung's super-slim foldable phone and watch event

10 Jul 05:00 AM
Premium
Retail

Two supermarkets plead guilty to unfair trading after ‘specials’ not so special

08 Jul 11:48 PM
Premium
Manufacturing

On The Up: Freeze-dried food maker aims for major growth with Rebel Sport, Foodstuffs deals

08 Jul 07:00 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Retail

Top 5 takeaways from Samsung's super-slim foldable phone and watch event

Top 5 takeaways from Samsung's super-slim foldable phone and watch event

10 Jul 05:00 AM

For the first time, the firm's foldable phones are the same thickness as standard models.

Premium
Two supermarkets plead guilty to unfair trading after ‘specials’ not so special

Two supermarkets plead guilty to unfair trading after ‘specials’ not so special

08 Jul 11:48 PM
Premium
On The Up: Freeze-dried food maker aims for major growth with Rebel Sport, Foodstuffs deals

On The Up: Freeze-dried food maker aims for major growth with Rebel Sport, Foodstuffs deals

08 Jul 07:00 AM
Premium
Property Insider: Mansons begins Graham St project; free car with Westgate home; how’s Resido going?

Property Insider: Mansons begins Graham St project; free car with Westgate home; how’s Resido going?

07 Jul 05:00 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP