Spending using electronic cards rose by more than expected in June as people bought big ticket items and winter clothes.
Transactions using debit, credit and charge cards, rose a seasonally adjusted 1.2%, reversing a fall in May, Statistics New Zealand data shows.
Retail spending has been subdued, knocked by February's earthquake and people repaying debt, but there are signs households are loosening their purse strings.
Spending on clothes increased with the colder weather, while people also spent more on durable goods like furniture and appliances, and food and alcohol.
Spending on fuel fell, due to lower prices.
In May, electronic card spending fell by 0.8%, the first decline in three months.
The data covers about two-thirds of retail sales and does not include cash and cheque transactions.
