Employer Bulletin | 22 April

The electronic card transactions (ECT) series covers debit, credit, and charge card transactions with New Zealand-based merchants. The series can be used to indicate changes in consumer spending and economic activity.

Based on the value of electronic card transactions for the March 2025 month (compared with February 2025), spending in the retail industries decreased 0.8% ($52 million). Durables, hospitality, fuel and apparel went down, but motor vehicles (excluding fuel) and consumables went up.

Non-retail decreased by $76 million (3.3%) from February 2025, which includes medical and other health care, travel and tour arrangements, and postal and courier delivery. Services went up $1 million (0.3%).

The total value of electronic card spending, including the two non-retail categories (services and other non-retail), decreased from February 2025, down $137 million (1.5%).

Cardholders spent $54 per transaction on average. The total amount spent using electronic cards was $9.2 billion.

For the March 2025 quarter (compared with the December 2024 quarter), retail spending increased $131 million (0.7%), non-retail was down $44 million (0.6%) and services was up $21 million (1.9%). The total value of electronic card spending increased by $23 million (0.1%) compared with the December 2024 quarter.

In today’s Bulletin:

• Court upholds that IEA required an availability provision
• Employee treated as abandoning employment for being off sick
• Employer deemed to have missed restructure steps including selection process
• Employer’s disciplinary process does not sufficiently consider employee’s case
• Six news updates of interest for employers including: Tourism turbocharge takes New Zealand to the world; International travel: February 2025; Electronic card transactions: March 2025; Kiwi farmers doing their bit on emissions; Health Infrastructure Plan released, and Welcome insights to make hospitality thrive.
• Eight bills open for submission

If you have any questions, about this case or other employment relation matters, call the Advice Line team on 0800 800 362.

Due to the upcoming short week we are pausing the Bulletin next week and will resume as usual the following Monday, 5 May. AdviceLine will be closed on ANZAC Day.