26 Feb 2021

Auckland's three-day lockdown cost retailers $44 million

11:31 am on 26 February 2021

New figures show last week's level 3 lockdown cost Auckland and Northland retailers $44 million in lost earnings.

Sign that reads 'Sorry, We are closed' hanging in a shop front in Central Auckland during Lockdown Level 3.

Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

The numbers come from Paymark which accounts for 70 percent of all eftpos transactions.

It found cafes, restaurants and bars, which had to close for everything except contactless pick ups and deliveries, were most affected, and led a 21 percent decrease in spending.

Supermarkets, which were allowed to remain open, experienced a small lift in sales but this was not enough to offset the falls.

Throughout the rest of the country, which was only raised to level 2, spending over the week was down by a more modest two percent, or $6 million.

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