Shopping splurge sees Rundle Mall bank highest spend on record
Spending records have been smashed during the festive season, with shoppers spending the most they ever have in Rundle Mall’s history. Read just how much traders’ tills were filled in the last month of 2026.
Rundle Mall has recorded its highest ever monthly spend on record, with new Adelaide Economic Development Agency (AEDA) data revealing $158 million was spent by more than 4.5 million visitors across the month.
The expenditure marked a four per cent increase from December 2024 expenditure which was the previous monthly spend record.
“The 2025 festive season shows once again that Rundle Mall is a multi-dimensional day and night experience with a breadth of experiences that is simply unmatched,” AEDA executive manager for Rundle Mall Andrew White said.
While December was the biggest spending month, AEDA data showed Rundle Mall’s Black Friday shopping was the busiest weekend of the year, injecting $22.6 million into the city economy from November 28 to 30.
“Midnight trading had a significant impact, with over $23 million spent across three nights, up seven per cent compared to last year,” White said.
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“People came into the city, shopped, dined, and experienced everything Adelaide has to offer, supporting local businesses and creating record economic outcomes.”
Owner of men’s shoe store Kennedy Parker in Gay’s Arcade, Jayne-Anne Power, said her business “had a very big November” due to Black Friday sales.
“Naturally, there’s a bit of a sales hangover after that, but still we had an increase in December on last year,” Power said.
AEDA said the data reflected strong confidence in the city’s economy with visitors willing to spend and support local businesses.
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Shoppers also made the most of Rundle Mall sales with Boxing Day spending reaching $7 million — an eight per cent increase from 2024.
Citywide spending for December also reached $430 million — a five per cent increase from the previous record set 12 months prior, with discretionary spending accounting for 68 per cent of all city spending.
Major events including the Ashes series at Adelaide Oval and festive season shopping influenced spending peaks across the city.
“Anytime there’s a big event in town, I find that there’s an increase in visitors in my shop,” Power said.
“I have customers from around Australia who plan to come to this shop when they come to Adelaide.”
There was $101 million spent across the city by locals and visitors on Friday December 19 — day three of the Ashes test which also coincided with midnight trading — with $34 million spent in dining alone.
Power opened the men’s shoe business three years ago back when shoppers were “just starting to come back into town after COVID-19”.
“I definitely feel like those days are over and that people are coming back into the city and spending time here.”
