Retail industry leaders say the sector is seeing declines amid a tough environment

Electronic card transaction figures show total retail spending was down three percent in the year to March.

It fell 0.7 percent in the month of March.

Retail NZ chief executive Carolyn Young says customers are still coming through stores -- but they're not converting to sales.

She says when they are buying, they're spending less -- so retailers are having to be agile and re-invent what they're doing.