The hospitality industry is benefitting from a boost in retail spending using plastic cards across the country, according to statistics NZ.

Spending was $4.8 billion in July 2016, up $267 million (5.8 per cent) from July 2015. Eighteen percent of the increase was in the hospitality industry, according to figures released this week.

According to Statistics New Zealand the hospitality industry experienced the largest increase in retail spending using electronic cards in July 2016, which was up $139 million from July 2015. File Photo.

Hospitality is up $139m, while the only drop is in the fuel industry, down $54m (8.6 per cent).

'People spent more on accommodation and on food and drinks in restaurants and takeaway shops,” says Statistics NZ business indicators senior manager Neil Kelly.

'In contrast, they spent less on fuel, with petrol prices falling about 10 cents a litre in July.”

When adjusted for seasonal effects, retail spending rose 0.3 per cent in July 2016 from June 2016, and follows a 1.2 per cent rise in June.

The largest movements of the six retail industries in July 2016 when compared with June were once again hospitality, which was up $26m (2.9 per cent), while fuels was down $21m (3.6 per cent).

Core retail spending, which excludes the vehicle-related industries, rose 0.7 per cent in July 2016, after a 1.1 per cent increase in June.

The total value of electronic card spending, including the two non-retail industries – services and other non-retail – was up 0.4 per cent in July. This follows a 1.0 per cent increase in June 2016.

Trends for the total, retail, and core retail series have generally been rising since these series began in October 2002.

Statistics NZ says values are only available at the national level, and are not adjusted for price changes.