Alcohol consumption in Poland is clearly changing – already one quarter of adults have completely stopped buying it, including during holiday periods. The latest survey shows that even those who still reach for alcoholic beverages are spending less on them than they previously declared.
Not long ago, holidays were a boom period for the alcohol industry. Today, this pattern is clearly shifting. Although the alcohol market in Poland still exceeds PLN 50 billion annually, sales in terms of volume are steadily declining.
We buy less, even during holidays
The latest data shows that Poles are becoming more cautious about spending on alcohol. A study conducted for Shopfully Poland reveals a clear discrepancy between declarations and actual purchases during Easter.
Before the holidays, as many as 43.8% of respondents planned to spend up to PLN 150 on alcohol. In practice, however, this group accounted for as much as 54.4% of consumers. This means that a significant number of people ultimately reduced their spending. Even more pronounced declines can be seen among those declaring higher amounts – in some cases, the differences between plans and actual spending reached nearly 50%.
One in four Poles does not buy alcohol
According to the results of the Shopfully Poland survey cited by Rzeczpospolita, as many as 25% of Poles have completely given up buying alcohol. Importantly, this also applies to periods traditionally associated with increased consumption, such as holidays. This marks a clear shift compared to previous years, when alcohol sales during such times were one of the pillars of the market.