A dip in sales and wild weather hasn't dampened retailers' spirits - with hopes things will turn a corner in 2026

Official transaction data won't be available until mid-January, but Retail NZ estimates a 10-percent drop in spending compared to Boxing Day last year.

Retail NZ Chief Executive Carolyn Young says most retailers are feeling okay with their December sales.

She says performance still varies across the country.

She says things are much more positive in the provinces and the South Island, than in places like Wellington and Auckland.