Kiwi's look to be opening their wallets wider than before

Stats NZ retail card spending figures for last month show a 1.6-percent increase in total retail sales on the same period last year.

Shoppers spent more across the board - with spending on the likes of groceries, household goods and clothing all on the rise.

ASB Chief Economist Nick Tuffley says it's not just because things are more expensive.

He says there's been a lift in volume and value in what we're buying.