Disappointing Christmas Eve spending leaves retailers hoping for big Boxing Day turnout

Wednesday, 24 December 2025

Christmas shoppers are not spending as retailers would like.

Peak hour retail transaction numbers on Christmas Eve are down significantly on 2024 leaving retailers, with their fingers crossed that many shoppers are keeping their powder dry for Boxing Day sales.

Peak hour transaction numbers on the Worldline payments network on Christmas Eve reached 563,303 between 12 noon and 1pm.

But that was down from 607,299 in the same time slot last year, though Christmas Eve remained the busiest retail day of the year.

Peak transactions per minute across Worldlines’ network of over 80,000 retailers hit 9745, which was down from 10,408 last year.

The numbers followed a poor showing on Black Friday, Worldline data showed, and an overall weak December at the checkout.

It’s been a tough year for many households, though consumer confidence has been on the rise in many parts of the country thanks in part to lower mortgage rates, though Wellington and dairy regions had seen spending confidence drop in December.

While the Worldline figures were disappointing, Retail NZ chief executive Carolyn Young said they only painted a partial picture of Christmas spending.

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Patterns of shopping also varied from year to year, depending on when large employers closed their offices, she said.

But, she said retailers were hoping people will come out on Boxing Day.

“Consumers are always after a sale. People don’t like to pay full price any more,” she said.

Some had started their Boxing Day sales before Christmas Day.

“That tells you retailers are trying to get people in store,” Young said.

Retailers may also be suffering from the Temu effect as more and more people shop online.

Worldline supports more than 80,000 merchants.