Israelis Spend Over $300 Million on Election Day, Clothing Tops Purchases

By הדסה בלומרט

Translated & summarized from Ice by baba

BusinessNeutral tone

Hebrew · 2 newsrooms covering

Israelis spent a record 1.141 billion shekels on election day for the 26th Knesset, a 41.2% increase from the 2022 elections. The apparel and footwear sector saw the largest surge in purchases, while food and beverages captured the biggest share of spending. Physical retail stores experienced a significant boom, with 66% of transactions occurring in person. Residents of the Galilee and southern regions reported the highest average spending per card.

The story in 6 lines · by baba

Israelis spent over 1.1 billion shekels on election day, a record high.
Apparel and footwear purchases surged 93%, making it the dominant spending category.
Food and beverages accounted for 51% of total consumption on election day.
Physical retail stores saw 66% of transactions, significantly outpacing online sales.
Residents of the Galilee and southern regions led in average spending per card.
Election day spending increased 41.2% compared to the 2022 elections.

Israelis spent over 1.1 billion shekels (approximately $300 million) on the recent election day for the 26th Knesset, setting a new spending record. The holiday, designated as a day off for elections, saw hundreds of thousands of citizens utilize their free time for extensive consumer activity across the country's commercial centers and retail chains. Data from credit card, clearing, and fintech companies indicated a significant shopping spree, with family outings and spending outside the home being the most prominent consumption trends.

The apparel and footwear sector emerged as the biggest winner, with purchases in this category surging by approximately 93% compared to a regular day, and financial turnover increasing by 117%. The average transaction in clothing was 363 shekels, a 10% rise from the 2021 elections and a 3% increase from 2022, with fashion accounting for about 21% of total spending. Food and beverages captured the largest share of daily consumption at 51%, similar to previous elections, with an average transaction of 159 shekels, a 26% increase from a typical weekday.

Restaurant and cafe activity saw a significant boost, with a 44.2% rise in transactions and a 47.5% increase in the average transaction amount. Conversely, food delivery services experienced a nearly 15.3% drop in transactions due to people dining out. Leisure and entertainment activities accounted for 14% of spending, with an average transaction of 222 shekels, while cosmetics and personal care saw a 53% jump in transactions.

Physical shopping significantly outperformed online purchases, with approximately 66% of transactions occurring in brick-and-mortar stores and only 34% online. Major malls reported substantial increases in visitor traffic, with Azrieli Malls seeing three times their usual numbers, and specific malls like Ir Yamim in Netanya and Seven Stars in Herzliya experiencing increases of 179% and 156% respectively. The electronics sector represented about 10% of total spending, with an average transaction of 421 shekels, driven by demand for smartphones, vacuum cleaners, air purifiers, and large kitchen appliances.

Geographically, residents of the periphery led in spending, with the Galilee and Valleys region showing the highest average expenditure per card at 340 shekels, followed by the southern regions with 334 shekels. Tel Aviv, the Sharon, and the southern Shephelah regions also saw high average spending, while Jerusalem had a comparatively moderate average of 299 shekels per card. Overall spending by 6 PM reached over 1.141 billion shekels, a 41.2% increase compared to the same hours during the 2022 elections.