Spending up in December

GISBORNE Christmas shoppers loosened their purse strings in December, but not by as much as most New Zealanders.

Figures from Westpac New Zealand CashNav app users show Gisborne shoppers spent $970 in December, only 9 percent, or $78, more than last Christmas, the lowest increase in the country after Nelson.

That compares to the average New Zealand shopper who spent 14 percent or $133 more than in December 2016.

Nelson had the lowest increase in spending with a 7 percent increase, or $56, followed by Gisborne and then Tasman on 10 percent or $79.

Taranaki recorded the largest increase in spending during December: a 29 percent rise or $260 more, followed by Eastern Bay of Plenty up 26 percent, or $222, and West Coast which increased spending by 26 per cent, or $196.

Gisborne recorded variations across the age groups.

Those aged between 18 and 35 spent $770 on average, an increase of 30 percent compared to last year ($592). That was one of the biggest increases in the country.

Conversely Gisborne residents aged 36 to 55 spent $1233 on average, a reduction of 6 percent from $1308 in 2016.

Gisborne was the only region to record lower spending in the age group.

Many Gisborne residents left their Christmas shopping to the last day. Westpac figures show 23 percent of 36 to 55- year-olds in Gisborne shopped on Christmas Eve. That was the highest figure in the country.

Westpac New Zealand’s chief product officer Shane Howell said The Warehouse was the store of choice in December across all age groups.

Kmart came second, in the regions that have a store, and then Farmers, followed by Briscoes.

“The most interesting thing for me was seeing where our customers like to go shopping around Christmas time. It’s the big red shed,’’ Mr Howell said.

“It marks a change from December 2016 when Farmers and Kmart were the most popular in some regions including Auckland and Wellington.”

Heather Shiels, of Westpac media, said although the released data related to CashNav users, “Our customers are pretty representative of spending across New Zealand”.