Row rect Shape Decorative svg added to bottom CONSUMER INSIGHTS Absa Merchant Spend Analytics Report : April 2025 Absa | Corporate and Investment Banking > Insights and Events > Absa Merchant Spend Analytics Report: April 2025 SHARE Consumer spending experiences an unexpected dip. The Merchant Spend Analytics Report for April 2025 noted a surprising decline in card transaction data for the month. In the wake of a robust performance in March, the month-to-month figures showed a 5% decline in card spending and a 7% decrease in transaction volume. These figures were somewhat unexpected due to the frequency of public and religious holidays during the month, as well as the number of long weekends. Typically, these are strong drivers of heightened consumer activity and spending. The timing of the April payday, which fell after the Easter weekend, evidently played a significant role in slowing the rate of spending over what is usually a high-activity period. This resulted in a subdued month for the food and tourism sectors. It is noteworthy, however, that the social and religious services category did see an uptick, which was buoyed by religious holidays and their associated activity. Key insights Your browser does not support the video tag. An analysis of the year-to-date figures reveals that growth has slowed compared to the same period last year (April YTD 2024 vs. April YTD 2025). Other noteworthy key takeaways include the continued outperformance of credit cards over debit cards in terms of usage, despite a clear slowdown. A plateau in popular online spending also indicates a normalisation in growth, rather than a decline in interest. Download latest Absa Merchant Spend Analytics Report Access latest Press Release https://www.cib.absa.africa/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/file_example_MP3_700KB.mp3 Related Articles Podcasts Africa Trade: Balancing Gains and Pains, Practical Realities and Support Balancing gains and pains: the on-the-ground realities and practical support. How do African businesses turn a trade vision into a profitable reality? This final, action-oriented episode focuses on the on-the-ground realities of AfCFTA implementation, addressing critical challenges and detailing the practical support available to businesses, particularly SMMEs. Podcasts Africa Trade: More Than Just Tariffs, Unlocking Opportunities More than just tariffs: unlocking opportunities in services and investment. Ready to move beyond borders? This episode dives deep into the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), exploring the immense opportunities in services and investment that extend far beyond simple import tariff reductions over the next decade. Podcasts Navigating the New Africa Trade Deal Navigating the new trade deal. Ready to unlock a market of 1.3 billion people? This foundational episode of "Africa Trade Unlocked" is your essential guide to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), often hailed as the world's largest free trade area since the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
