According to a recent BIG InfoMonitor report, the number of indebted companies in Poland has surpassed 331,000—a 12.3% increase compared to the previous year. The data show that around 5% of businesses across various industries are now listed in the BIG InfoMonitor Debtors Register or are failing to repay their loans.
At the end of 2024, total overdue liabilities—defined as debts of at least 500 PLN that are more than 30 days overdue—exceeded 43.8 billion PLN. Despite this concerning figure, the report notes that the pace of debt growth slowed compared to 2023. Between January and December 2024, overdue debts increased by 1.95 billion PLN (4.7%), whereas during the entire 2023 period, the rise stood at 2.4 billion PLN (6%).
Leading and Improving Sectors
- Trade tops the list of most indebted sectors, with nearly 9 billion PLN in overdue payments.
- Industry follows at 6.9 billion PLN, while construction and TSL (transport, shipping, and logistics) each owe over 5.6 billion PLN and 3.3 billion PLN respectively.
- Other sectors reporting debts above 2 billion PLN include professional, scientific, and technical services, real estate services, and HoReCa (hotels, restaurants, catering).
On a positive note, debts in construction declined by 421 million PLN year on year, and in industry, overdue sums dropped by 391 million PLN. Debt also decreased in mining and extraction (by 60.5 million PLN) and agriculture (by 4.6 million PLN).
Highest Share of Troubled Firms TSL remains the sector with the largest proportion of companies in financial difficulties—9% of all transport businesses face serious debt challenges. This is largely due to a drop in freight prices coupled with rising fuel costs and driver wages. Additionally, there are an estimated 100,000 job vacancies in the transport sector.
Companies in mining and extraction, as well as those managing water supply and waste, rank second with 7.6% of firms in debt. Meanwhile, 6% of businesses in gastronomy and accommodation also struggle with overdue liabilities. One standout trend is the 32% surge in educational sector debts, reaching nearly 280 million PLN, as schools and universities face demographic shifts, lower enrollment, and increasing operational expenses.