A Global Payments analysis of card transactions made in Romania between January and April 2026 shows that Romanian consumers follow an increasingly predictable spending rhythm, with clear differences between weekdays dedicated to stocking up, weekend shopping, and premium purchases.
The data shows that Fridays generate the highest shopping volumes and the highest total spending values across most of the industries analyzed, from supermarkets and fuel stations to fashion, bookstores, and jewelry. Saturdays bring the highest traffic in retail and services, while Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays are the days when the highest average transaction values appear in premium categories (jewelry and watches) and specialized services (medical services, optics, and eyewear accessories).
“Global Payments’ analysis shows that Romanians do not spend randomly. There is a clear rhythm
to consumer behavior, and merchants who understand these patterns can better plan inventory,
staffing, promotions, and services. Through Global Payments solutions, merchants can access this
type of information across all locations where they use our payment terminals, as well as in online
stores using the GP webpay platform,” says Ionela Mitran, Country Manager Global Payments
Romania.
The same retail category analyzed can reflect different consumer behaviors depending on the day
of the week: some days bring higher transaction volumes and heavier in-store traffic, while others
generate more valuable purchases and higher average transaction values.
Friday – the day of big shopping trips
Across almost all industries analyzed, Friday is the day when Romanians spend the most. In supermarkets, total card payments on Fridays exceeded RON 171 million during the analyzed period, while the average basket value reached approximately RON 107. On Good Friday, merchants in this category recorded the highest number of daily card transactions, totaling more than RON 15 million in a single day.
Fuel stations showed the same pattern, with Fridays generating the highest number of weekly transactions, worth more than RON 35 million. The average Friday transaction reached approximately RON 125. In the jewelry and watches category, Friday brings both the highest number of transactions and the highest total payment values, with the average transaction exceeding RON 560.
Friday is also the day Romanians invest in their “intellectual luxury,” spending more than RON 800,000 in bookstores during Fridays in the analyzed period. The average transaction reaches approximately RON 90, suggesting that customers rarely leave bookstores with just a bookmark. The Friday effect is also visible in fashion and footwear stores, where the average transaction reaches RON 157.
Friday has effectively become the official day for stocking up, planned shopping, and weekend preparation.
Saturday – crowded stores, but more relaxed shopping
If Friday is the day for stocking up and planned purchases, Saturday brings the highest traffic of
the week, especially in retail, services, and special-occasion shopping.
In supermarkets and grocery stores, approximately 1.5 million card transactions were recorded on Saturdays. The average transaction value, around RON 90, remained below Friday’s level, while the total value of purchases reached approximately RON 133 million.
Saturday is the busiest day for car washes, where traffic exceeds Friday levels by approximately 18%. It is also the day when Romanians visit florists more often, with the number of transactions more than 40% higher than on Fridays. The average Saturday purchase in florists reaches RON 120 — the highest value of the week — suggesting that weekends also come with more spontaneous purchases.
In fashion and footwear, Saturdays bring fewer transactions than Fridays, but more substantial purchases: the average transaction climbs to nearly RON 180, the highest level of the week and around 14% higher than on Fridays. If Fridays are for buying “what you need,” Saturdays are for buying “what you deserve.”
Midweek: serious decisions and premium purchases
Global Payments’ analysis shows that Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays consistently generate the highest average transaction values in specialized industries and premium categories.
At the beginning of the week, Romanians go to the dentist. Mondays and Tuesdays record the
highest number of appointments, while on Tuesdays the average transaction exceeds RON 680.
Wednesdays are for choosing glasses, as this is the day with the highest number of card transactions in the optics and eyewear category, totaling approximately RON 3.2 million in payments. The average Wednesday transaction reaches nearly RON 680 in this category as well.
Jewelry and watch stores also experience strong midweek activity, with Tuesdays and Wednesdays bringing some of the most valuable purchases of the week. The category’s record day was December 23, a Tuesday, when Romanians spent nearly RON 800,000 on jewelry — five times more than the average daily level.
Thursdays and Fridays bring some of the highest average transaction values in medical and physiotherapy services, associated with complex treatments and premium services. In physiotherapy, for example, the average transaction can exceed RON 800 on Fridays. Even when it comes to pets, shopping tends to be more planned than impulsive. In the pet shop category, the number of transactions remains relatively constant from Monday to Thursday, but Tuesday stands out with the highest average transaction value – approximately RON 112.
Methodology note
The analysis is based on anonymized card payment data collected in Romania between January
and April 2026, analyzed using MCC codes and grouped by weekday. The study highlighted the
periods and categories with significant transaction volumes, the highest transaction values, and the
days with the highest payment frequency. Average transaction values were calculated by dividing
the total transaction value by the total number of transactions.
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Global Payments s.r.o. is a joint venture between Global Payments (NYSE: GPN) and the Erste banking group. The company provides advanced omnichannel payment solutions, covering the full spectrum of business needs: from modern POS terminals and e-commerce payment solutions to EV charging station payments, self-service solutions, and hospitality payment integrations for Oracle systems.
Global Payments was the first company to launch the GP tom app in Central Europe. This technology transforms both iPhone and Android devices into POS payment terminals, offering total mobility without the need for additional hardware. With over 60,000 users in Europe, the GP tom app is currently expanding into the Asian market.
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