Confirmation the ripple effects of declining interest rates - still haven't changed consumer habits

Worldline New Zealand data shows March consumer spend slid 0.8-percent annually - hitting hospitality the hardest.

Chief Sales Officer, Bruce Proffit, says supermarkets and liquor stores grew slightly - but the hospitality spend dropped 3.2-percent.

Wellington was the weakest region - down 2.3 percent - and Auckland and Canterbury dropped just over one .