Higher Spending in Auckland Due to All Blacks/Lions Test

Spending through Paymark in Auckland/Northland increased amongst merchants such as bars, clubs and cafes to $24.3 million between 9am Friday and 9am Sunday, a period that included the All Blacks-Lions test. This was $1.5 million higher than experienced on average during the same days and hours of the first four weeks of May, a larger spending boost than experienced around previous Lions’ games. However, given the size of Auckland, this was a more modest percentage gain of 7%.

Most of the increased spending occurred before the game, including an extra $1.0 million between 3pm Friday and 4am Saturday. Not surprisingly, spending was down $250,000 or 21% between 7pm and 8pm, when the game started.

As has been the pattern around other Lions’ games, there was also increased spending amongst local merchant sectors such as taxis and fast food outlets on the day of the game but other merchants had mixed experiences, in part due to influences beyond the Lions tour. Increases were reported amongst specialist food retailers and travel agents, relative to the May average for Saturday. These increases are unusual for this time of year.

More consistent with seasonal patterns were spending declines recorded amongst hardware and furniture stores, clothing shops, supermarkets, petrol stations, garden centres and sellers of marine equipment.

In total, spending through Paymark in Auckland/Northland was $72.7 million on Saturday, down $1.7 million or 2.3% on an average Saturday in May, again influenced by seasonal effects. The decline in total spending in Auckland/Northland, compared to an average Saturday in May, is to be expected for this Saturday and is not due to the All Black test. However it is also usual for hospitality spending to decline on Friday and Saturday, relative to May, and that was not the case this year – this extra spending is very likely due to spending associated with the test.

ENDS

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