Full coverage· Economy· Updated 27 Oct, 19:39

Election Day Spending Surges 37% as Israelis Flock to Malls

Israelis turned the Knesset election day on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, into a major shopping and leisure event, driving credit card spending to record levels. According to Shva, the national payment system operator, consumers spent over 1.141 billion shekels between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM. This represents a 41.2% increase compared to the 2022 Knesset elections, when spending during the same hours reached 808.51 million shekels.

18 newsrooms · 4 languages · since 27 Oct, 11:26

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Election Day Spending Surges 37% as Israelis Flock to Malls — Illustration by baba

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What happened

01Israelis spent over 1.141 billion shekels on credit cards between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM on election day, a 41.2% increase from 2022.
02Peak spending occurred at 12:40 PM, with 3.61 million shekels transacted across more than 15,500 purchases in a single minute.
03Shopping malls and retail centers reported visitor traffic up to triple the levels of a regular Tuesday.
04Apparel and footwear purchases saw a dramatic 93% surge in volume compared to a typical weekday, according to MAX.
05Food delivery transactions plummeted by 78% as Israelis chose to dine out at restaurants and visit shopping centers.
06Physical stores accounted for 66% of the day's transactions, showing a strong consumer preference for in-person shopping.
07The overall spending by 2:00 PM reached 731 million shekels, which was 5.1% higher than the municipal elections in early 2024.

Shopping malls, restaurants, and parks across the country experienced heavy congestion, with some malls reporting visitor numbers up to triple their usual levels. The peak of financial activity occurred at 12:40 PM, with over 15,500 transactions totaling approximately 3.61 million shekels processed in a single minute. Earlier in the day, by 11:00 AM, spending had already reached 251 million shekels, a 26.5% rise from the previous election.

Data from the credit card company MAX showed a 93% surge in apparel and footwear purchases compared to a regular Tuesday, with the average fashion transaction reaching 363 shekels. Food and beverage purchases accounted for a major portion of the spending, while food delivery orders plummeted by 78% as citizens opted to dine out. Physical stores were highly preferred, accounting for 66% of transactions, while online purchases made up the remainder.

Summarized by baba from the reports of 14 newsrooms. Updated 27 Oct, 21:19

Latest report: Bizportal. Read Bizportal’s original

Who reports what

“The increase in spending may be related to utilizing the public holiday for shopping and leisure, alongside changes in payment habits, price increases, and growth in the use of credit cards and digital payment methods.”

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