By RNZ
Consumers markedly cut their spending last month ahead of the surge in Covid-19 cases.
Numbers from Stats NZ show spending using electronic cards fell 7.8 per cent in February on the month before.
The decline in spending was across the board with the largest fall in clothing, with sizeable falls also in consumables such as groceries, food and drink, big ticket items, and on fuel and vehicles.
Leaving aside fuel and vehicle related spending, core retail sales fell 8 per cent on a monthly basis.