Spending throughout 2020 as a whole was down slightly compared with 2019, reversing a trend of growing spending as the city has recovered from the earthquakes. Inside the four avenues, retail spending for the year totalled $901 million, a fifth of the total. The central city spending was less than half a per cent down on the previous year. Locals spent 20 per cent more in the central city than the previous December, and seven per cent more across the city. Spending by New Zealanders from outside the city totalled during the month totalled $54m, 20 per cent higher than the previous December.

Source: Stuff January 27, 2021 00:00 UTC