Adverse weather either failed to deter shoppers from venturing out last month or led to a shift to internet shopping.
Growth of 1.3% was registered in March's Visa Europe's UK Expenditure Index.
Year-on-year spending increased in March - at 1.2% it was the best growth in this measure since October 2010.
Last month also saw the first increase in face-to-face spending since September 2012.
Dr Steve Perry, Commercial Director at Visa Europe said:
“Although spring may not have sprung just yet, there are signs that the longed-for thaw in consumer spending may be upon us.
"After relatively disappointing figures in February, face-to-face sales grew 0.6% in March while online sales increased 1.9%, signalling that despite the cold weather consumers found ways to shop.
"With all the key measures in positive territory, these figures represent a strong end to Q1 and should make a significant contribution to overall GDP levels in the first quarter."
Visa Europe’s UK Expenditure Index takes card spending data and adjusts it for a variety of factors to create a like-for-like comparison of consumer spending, providing a robust indicator of consumer spending habits.
Chris Williamson, Chief Economist at Markit said:
"With the sole exception of the Olympics-related spending spree seen last autumn, the first quarter has seen the largest increase in consumer spending since the depths of the recession in the second quarter of 2009.
"The improvements tally with recent survey evidence indicating that households are starting to feel brighter again, linked in many cases to being busier at work and taking home more pay.”
Visa Europe said athough progress seems promising since the start of 2013, whether spending growth will be sustained throughout the coming months remains a point of concern.
This air of caution is echoed in the latest European Commission consumer confidence poll, which hit a five-month low in March. Growth in consumer spending may also be dampened by further reductions in real wages, as inflation continues to rise at a faster pace than average earnings.