New Zealand retail wages ease as SME hiring rises modestly

Retail NZ’s 2026 Wages Guide shows the average retail wage in New Zealand has risen to NZ$30.94 per hour, a 1 % increase on the previous year. This growth is markedly slower than the 3.4 % rise recorded in the 2025 guide, indicating that wage growth across the sector is easing amid ongoing economic headwinds. Retail NZ chief executive Carolyn Young said retailers are managing tight margins and sluggish consumer confidence, but the average wage remains well above the minimum and living wages.

Employment Hero’s Jobs Report reveals that small and medium‑size enterprises added 0.5 % more staff in May compared with April, continuing a series of modest monthly gains. Despite this hiring uptick, annual wage growth stalled at zero – a 13‑month low and a sharp drop from the 4 % growth seen a year earlier. Managing director for APAC James Keene attributed the flat wages to a margin‑squeezed environment, noting that SME owners are retaining staff through flexibility, culture and career development rather than higher pay.