– CuscalPaymark release
Consumer spending transacted through Paymark ’s payments network in June showed it to be both a seasonally and cyclically weak month .
Consumer spending processed through all Core Retail merchants in Paymark ’s payments network during June 2026 reached $3. 584B, which is down -0.5% on June 2025, following adjustments for merchants coming and going from the network.
Paymark ’s Chief Sales Officer, Bruce Proffit, says June is usually the slowest month of the year. This was due to the impacts of winter but business was down on last year as well . “The most noticeable declines were amongst the Hospitality sector, with the largest percentage fall being for accommodation merchants and the largest dollar fall being over the large food service group, that is bars and cafes and fast-food outlets,” says Proffit .
Spending through Paymark at Accommodation merchants was $53.5 m in June 2026, down 20.1% in underlying terms from June 2025. Spending amongst the Food and Beverage Services group was $743.6 million, down 5.4% or $42.0 million on June last year.
“There were extenuating circumstances during June. This included the Matariki holiday occurring in July this year. Wet weather at both the start and towards the end of the month also had an impact. But the bigger influence appears to be one of strong budget pressures limiting Hospitality spending,” says Proffit.
“Other merchant groups also experienced declining spending in June, including Core Retail groups such as Clothing/Footwear and Recreational Good s. Amongst the non-retail sector, the likes of gyms, beauty and hairdressing salons and movie theatres also declined.
”Non-retail spending through Paymark ’s network at Fitness Centres and Gym was down -23.7% on last year in June (down -14.3% for the year ending June). At Beauty and Hairdressing Salons were down by -1.8% (and -3.1%); and Movie Theatres by -4.9% (and 13.9%).
Regionally, the annual growth rates for Core Retail spending through Paymark ’s payments network in June 2026 were highest in Waikato (+1.4%), Hawke’s Bay (+1.2%) and West Coast (+0.9%). The largest spending declines were recorded in Marlborough (-6.2%), Bay of Plenty (-3.2%) and Wairarapa (-2.7%).
Proffit notes that the continuing spending growth registered in the Waikato region, as seen in recent months, was “a mixed bag” in June.
“The largest contribution to spending growth in the Waikato in June was higher spending at Food and Liquor shops. However, there was also a smaller increase during the week ending Sunday 14 June, which included Fieldays ,” he says. “During the week of Fieldays, there was approximately an extra $1 m of spending recorded. That was spread over Hardware/Furniture and Food Service merchants.
Apart from those sectors , there were spending declines reported over the month for most non-food merchant groups in Waikato.”
Figure 1: All Cards NZ underlying* spending through Paymark in June 2026 for core retail merchants (* Underlying excludes large clients moving to or from Paymark )