Cash registers are ringing loudly across Otago - with shoppers last week spending at least $3.8 million more than in the corresponding week last year.
Paymark transactions, which account for 75% of electronic card transactions across New Zealand, reveal shoppers spent $59.9 million in Otago last week compared with $56.1 million last year - a 6.8% increase.
Paymark figures nationally show spending last week increased 4.9% from $1.088 billion last year to $1.141 billion this year.
Gift store chain Acquisitions co-owner Richard Thomson, of Dunedin, said shoppers spent more in the first week of December in the 17 stores across New Zealand, including Dunedin, and more would be spent in the run-up to Christmas.
''It escalates so much - it is an exponential growth through December.''
The first week of sales accounted for a sixth of the December revenue up to Christmas Day, he said.
''This is a mad time for us. We do 25% of our turnover in December, so we are flat out and we have been flat out since the early part of November.''
Alex Campbell Menswear owner Lindsay Campbell said shoppers had been flocking to his South Dunedin and Mosgiel stores - after seemingly staying away during winter.
''It's like a pent-up energy. We noticed it about three weeks ago. Things started to lift away after a very flat trading winter ... it is a nice surge.''
Dunedin Budget Advisory Service executive officer Shirley Woodrow said the 6.8% rise in spending in Otago was ''worrying'' because she doubted pay cheques had increased that much within a year.
She hoped the trend was a statistical ''blip'' and that spending would drop as Christmas neared.
Paymark spokesman Mark Spicer said although there was a 4.9% increase in year-on-year spending nationally, it was well below last year's growth rate of 8.6% for the same period.
He expected New Zealanders to spend more soon.
''Many people have yet to start their Christmas shopping and we anticipate that over the next few weeks, spending will significantly increase.''
