Poles are spending more slowly than expected: September sales up 3.3%, fuel down almost 10%

On 22 October 2026 Statistics Poland (GUS) reported that retail sales at constant prices rose in September by 3.3% year on year. Economists had expected more – between 3.7% and 4.1%. Compared with August, sales fell by 3.8%. From January to September growth was 3.0% (3.9% a year earlier).

Car sales grew fastest (+13.1% y/y), followed by furniture, TV and household appliances (+10.7%) and pharmaceuticals and cosmetics (+8.5%). Sales of food, drinks and tobacco rose by only 1.4%. Clothing and footwear sales fell (−3.0%), and fuel fell most of all (−9.8% y/y and −17.4% month on month). More and more Poles shop online: online sales rose by 18.7%, and their share of retail is now 10.1%.

On the same day GUS published its October business sentiment survey: firms view the situation in manufacturing (index −6.6 points), construction (−4.2 points) and retail less favourably. The day before, the office had reported a fall in consumer sentiment.

Editorial comment

Poles are still buying more than a year ago, but more slowly than economists expected. The fall in fuel sales with diesel above 8 zł is a sign that drivers and businesses are economising. For Polish businesses in the UK selling to Poland, the best news comes from the online channel – that is where demand is growing.

What to do

• Selling to Poland? Focus on an online shop and fast delivery – online is growing fastest.
• Clothing and fuel sectors: prepare promotions or cheaper versions of your offer for the autumn.
• Watch the GUS unemployment data (Friday 23 October) – they will show whether the labour market is weakening.
• When planning transfers to Poland, follow the pound-to-złoty exchange rate.

What do you think?

Do you feel this in your business? Tell us in the comments below the article. We will cover the most interesting views in future editions.

Sources

• ISBnews / Biznes24: September retail sales +3.3% y/y
• dlahandlu.pl: what Poles bought in September
• CEO.com.pl: economic sentiment weakens
• TVN24 Biznes: retail sales in September 2026

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