Nationwide, consumer spending jumped 3.9 per cent during the first four months of 2013, with retailers reporting a buoyant trading period.
Year-on-year spending increases were highest at building and hardware stores (up 9.6 per cent) and pharmacies (up 6 per cent).
Hospitality businesses (up 4.8 per cent) also recorded increases, along with food and liquor outlets (up 4.1 per cent).
Paymark spokesman Paul Whiston said it had been a "positive start to the year for retailers in general".
Last month card transactions were 6.2 per cent higher than a year ago, with credit card usage up 10.5 per cent and debit card usage up 4.9 per cent.
Mr Whiston said the rise reflected the gradual recovery following low spending patterns after the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
NZ Retailers Association chief executive John Albertson said there was "a slightly better feeling of optimism out there at the moment" amongst retailers.
"It's a funny market at the moment because you can't say everyone's having a boom time or everyone's having a lousy time, it's a very mixed bag," he said.
Consumer confidence had improved, which drove retail spending more than anything, Mr Albertson said.
Modest gains in the past four months were also reported in big ticket retail stores, such as appliance and sporting equipment (up 2.8 per cent), while accommodation providers also reported a 2.1 per cent spending lift.
The higher national average growth rate was driven in part by the Canterbury rebuild, where spending was up 6.9 per cent year-on-year.
Other regions with spending increases of more than 4 per cent included Otago, Marlborough, Hawkes Bay, and Waikato.
By the numbers
April 2013
31.4 million transactions in Northland/Auckland, $1.56 billion spent (7 per cent year-on-year increase)
78.79 million transactions nationwide, $3.91 billion spent (5.9per cent increase)
April 2012
29.33 million transactions in Northland/Auckland, $1.46billion spent
74.22 million transactions nationwide, $3.69 billion spent
Source: Paymark