According to Statistics Poland’s flash estimate, CPI inflation in May 2026 reached 3.1% year on year. On a monthly basis, prices fell by 0.3%, mainly due to lower food prices and a slight decline in fuel prices.
Inflation in Poland reached 3.1% year-on-year in May 2026
According to the flash estimate released by Statistics Poland, consumer goods and services prices in May 2026 were 3.1% higher than a year earlier. Compared with April 2026, prices fell by 0.3%.
May CPI reading in general terms
The May flash estimate points to a slight decline in annual price growth compared with April 2026, when inflation stood at 3.2% year-on-year. In May, CPI reached 3.1% year-on-year, remaining above the 2.5% inflation target but still within the permitted tolerance band.
On a monthly basis, Statistics Poland recorded a 0.3% decline in prices. This means that the average price level in May was lower than in April, although prices were still higher than in the corresponding month of the previous year.
Main price categories in May 2026
The data structure shows clear differences between categories. The highest annual growth was recorded for fuels and lubricants for personal transport equipment. Prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages increased only slightly year-on-year, while they fell on a monthly basis.
| Item | May 2026 / May 2025 | Y/y change | May 2026 / April 2026 | M/m change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 103.1 | +3.1% | 99.7 | -0.3% |
| Food and non-alcoholic beverages | 100.5 | +0.5% | 99.0 | -1.0% |
| Electricity, gas and other fuels | 105.0 | +5.0% | 100.0 | 0.0% |
| Fuels and lubricants for personal transport equipment | 112.3 | +12.3% | 99.9 | -0.1% |
CPI inflation in 2025–2026
Data from the Statistics Poland chart show that in 2025 annual CPI growth declined from 4.9% at the beginning of the year to 2.4% in December. In the first two months of 2026, inflation stood at 2.1%, before rising to 3.0% in March, 3.2% in April and 3.1% in May.
Category comparison: annual and monthly changes
Comparing annual and monthly changes helps separate long-term price growth from short-term movements observed in May. In the case of fuels, annual growth remained high, but a slight month-on-month decline was recorded. Energy prices were 5.0% higher than a year earlier, while remaining unchanged compared with April.
What does the flash estimate show?
The May reading confirms that inflation remains moderately above the inflation target, but it has not returned to the levels observed at the beginning of 2025. At the same time, monthly data point to a decline in the average price level compared with April, mainly due to lower food prices and a slight fall in the fuel category.
The preliminary nature of the publication should be taken into account when interpreting the data. More complete conclusions will be possible after the release of final figures, which will include a broader structure of the inflation basket and more detailed price categories.
