Seasonally adjusted electronic card transactions in New Zealand dropped 0.9% month-on-month in August 2026, reversing a downwardly revised 1.2% rise in the previous month. The decline was weighed down by lower spending on hospitality (-1.7% vs 2.4% in July), durables (-1.6% vs 2.0%), apparel (-2.0% vs 3.2%), and consumables (-0.4% vs 1.0%), while motor vehicle spending declined at a faster pace (-0.3% vs -0.2%).