Poles haven’t yet recovered from the last round of changes, and the next ones are already on the way. The government is planning another VAT rate hike that will affect popular products available in every store. The new regulations are set to take effect as early as next year.
The government is preparing yet another tax change that will impact millions of consumers. Documents sent to the European Commission indicate that in 2026, VAT rates on certain beverages will increase. The change will cover non-alcoholic beers and energy drinks containing fruit juices.
A heavy burden for producers
Currently, these products are subject to a 5% or 8% tax, depending on their category. Once the amendment takes effect, this rate will rise to 23%. In practice, this means price increases in stores of up to several dozen percent. According to calculations by the Ministry of Finance, this change will bring an additional 435 million PLN annually to the state budget.
While this amount is relatively small in terms of the overall national budget, for many producers it will represent a significant burden, particularly for small breweries that have expanded their non-alcoholic beer offerings in recent years. The change will also hit the functional drinks segment, which has been growing at a double-digit rate year after year.
Where did the idea to raise taxes come from? It turns out that every EU member state must send reports to Brussels twice a year, outlining how it plans to reduce its public finance sector deficit. The Polish government has chosen to focus on raising taxes – the easiest way to quickly patch up holes in the budget.
The easiest way is to reach into consumers’ pockets
Officially, this move is being described as a “simplification of rates,” but the real goal is clear: to bring more money into the state’s coffers without making genuine spending cuts. Instead of reducing expenditures, the government is opting for the simplest solution – reaching into citizens’ wallets.
Economists agree that this is the easiest approach. It requires no debates, consultations, or complex legislative processes. All it takes is an amendment to one annex of the VAT Act, and it’s done. The effect on the budget is immediate, but for Poles, it means yet another price increase that most won’t notice until they look at their receipts.
In practice, these changes mean that the price of a bottle of non-alcoholic beer, which currently costs 4.50 PLN, could soon reach 5 PLN. A can of energy drink will no longer cost 6 PLN but 7 PLN. Over the course of a year, that adds up to hundreds of extra zlotys spent by consumers.