Spain | Evolution of card spending in real time and high definition in May-22

Card spending increased 41% year-on-year in May (51% in April). Progress was greater in the online channel (69%) than in the face-to-face channel (30%). The end of the state of alarm in May 2021 magnified the year-on-year slowdown in purchases, especially with foreign cards.

Key points

• Key points:
• The increase in spending moderated in all service activities, especially those associated with tourism and entertainment, such as travel, accommodation, transport, restaurants and leisure. Only purchases of food, books, pharmacy, technology and equipment picked up.
• Both the rise in the average ticket (6% year-on-year), fueled by the increase in inflation, as well as in business transactions (12%) and in the number of establishments (20%) boosted spending in May, but at a slower pace that in April.
• Face-to-face transactions grew in all provinces in May, as in March and April. The advance, which was generally moderate, was greater in traditional tourist destinations, such as the archipelagos, Malaga, Alicante and Gipuzkoa.
• The weight of purchases with foreign cards in face-to-face spending reached 7% between January and May 2022, one point less than in 2019. In the islands and Alicante, the participation exceeded the pre-pandemic thresholds. In peninsular destinations, it was still far from the figures for 2019.
• Card cash withdrawals grew by 8%, 4 points less than in April.

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