Full Breakdown
Rosh Hashanah Card Spending Surges While Supermarket Aisles Remain Empty
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On the Friday morning preceding Rosh Hashanah, Israeli shoppers processed nearly NIS 459 million in credit-card purchases between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. despite supermarkets reporting foot traffic that was “unusually quiet,” even compared with a typical Friday. The peak minute, recorded at 10:56 a.m., saw more than NIS 3.44 million transacted across 18,000 separate purchases.
Drivers of the Quiet Shopping Day
Retail chains attributed the low in-store presence to three main factors: shoppers completing purchases earlier in the week, many Israelis traveling abroad (with Ben-Gurion Airport reported as crowded), and broader economic pressures. A branch manager described the scene as unprecedented, noting that checkout lines did not extend beyond the store entrances as they normally do on the eve of the holiday.
Spending Figures and Holiday Price Hikes
Data from Shva, Israel’s Automated Banking Services company, show the NIS 459.06 million total represents a 2.7 % rise over the same period before Rosh Hashanah last year, when spending was NIS 446.77 million. The Institute for Retail Research linked this modest increase to higher prices for staple holiday items rather than a surge in shopper volume. Prices for key products rose sharply year-over-year: avocados +44.3 %, dry onions +39.3 %, fresh chicken liver +21.3 %, and packaged carrots +19.6 %.
Retail Impact and Consumer Outlook
Supermarket chains reported fewer deep-discount promotions as they sought to protect profit margins amid rising costs. The combination of earlier purchasing, travel, and elevated food prices suggests a shift in traditional holiday-shopping patterns, potentially prompting retailers to adjust inventory and pricing strategies for future Jewish holidays. Consumers, meanwhile, face higher grocery bills despite the quieter shopping environment, underscoring the lingering financial strain from summer vacation expenses and low national morale.
