Retail sales in Poland continued to grow in May 2026, although at a slower pace than a year earlier. Sales in constant prices rose by 3.0% year on year, while falling 1.7% from April. Data from Statistics Poland suggest that household spending is becoming more selective, with consumers moving away from food purchases and towards durable goods, cosmetics, health-related products and online shopping.
Retail Sales in Poland Up 3% in May, with E-commerce Gaining Ground
Retail sales in constant prices rose by 3.0% year on year in May 2026, compared with growth of 4.4% a year earlier. Sales declined by 1.7% month on month, although seasonally adjusted data indicate that consumption remains on an upward path. The structure of spending is changing: real food sales are falling, while consumers are spending more on durable goods, cosmetics and online purchases.
The latest figures from Statistics Poland show that household consumption continues to support the economy, although the pace of spending growth has slowed. In May, retail sales rose by 3.0% in real terms from a year earlier, 1.4 percentage points less than in May 2025. Sales fell compared with April, but data adjusted for seasonal and calendar effects present a more favourable picture.
After seasonal adjustment, retail sales were 3.7% higher than a year earlier and 0.4% higher than in April. This suggests that the underlying consumption trend remains positive, even though growth is gradually losing momentum. In level terms, retail sales reached an index of 113.0 in May, with the 2021 average set at 100.
The May reading is among the highest in the series, but the chart also shows that the strong rebound seen in 2024 and 2025 has begun to flatten. Consumers are still increasing spending, but they are becoming more selective about where they allocate their money.
A shift in spending patterns: less food, more durable goods
The clearest change is visible in the composition of retail sales. In the largest retail category, food, beverages and tobacco products, real sales fell by 2.8% year on year. This segment accounts for 25.4% of total retail turnover, meaning its weaker performance has a significant impact on the headline result.
At the same time, sales increased in several other categories. The strongest growth was recorded in the “other” category, where sales rose by 10.8% year on year. Fuel sales, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and orthopaedic equipment also posted strong gains. Furniture, consumer electronics and household appliances, as well as textiles, clothing and footwear, continued to report positive growth.
The data may indicate that consumers are moving part of their spending away from everyday purchases and towards items whose purchase had previously been postponed. As real household incomes stabilise, some consumers appear more willing to spend on electronics, home furnishings, clothing, health-related products and personal care.
For retail chains, this means that demand is shifting between categories. Businesses that can quickly adjust their offer and effectively combine physical stores with online sales are likely to benefit most from this change.
Fuel sales: turnover rises partly because of prices
A comparison of sales data in constant and current prices shows how important price changes remain for retail performance. In the fuel segment, real sales increased by 9.9% year on year, while turnover in current prices rose by as much as 22.4%. The gap suggests that a meaningful part of the increase in sales value resulted from higher prices, rather than from a stronger volume of purchases alone.
The situation in food was different. Real sales in the category fell by 2.8%, while sales in current prices declined by 1.4%. This indicates that price pressure was limited amid weaker demand, even though food shopping continues to absorb a significant share of household budgets.
| Product group | m/m (April=100) | y/y (May 2025=100) | Jan–May y/y | Share of retail sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOTAL | 98.3 | 103.0 | 102.9 | 100.0% |
| Food, beverages and tobacco | 97.2 | 97.2 | 97.9 | 25.4% |
| Solid, liquid and gaseous fuels | 91.0 | 109.9 | 109.5 | 14.2% |
| Other | 102.4 | 110.8 | 108.2 | 9.7% |
| Pharmaceuticals and cosmetics | 98.8 | 109.3 | 107.6 | 8.3% |
| Motor vehicles and parts | 99.0 | 102.1 | 102.5 | 7.8% |
| Furniture, consumer electronics and household appliances | 100.4 | 104.5 | 105.6 | 7.6% |
| Textiles, clothing and footwear | 109.8 | 103.8 | 100.9 | 5.3% |
| Press, books and specialised sales | 107.9 | 99.4 | 97.7 | 3.6% |
Growth rates in constant prices; shares in total retail sales based on current prices. The category “other sales in non-specialised stores” is covered by statistical confidentiality.
E-commerce continues to strengthen its position
Retail sales via the Internet, measured in current prices, were 9.9% higher in May than a year earlier. The online channel’s share of total retail sales increased from 8.8% to 9.2%. Growth is gradual but persistent, although e-commerce remains strongly affected by seasonality.
The highest levels of online retail activity usually occur in the pre-Christmas period. In November 2025, the share of online sales reached 11.0%, before returning closer to its annual average in subsequent months. The May result nevertheless confirms that e-commerce remains one of the main growth channels in retail.
Online retail remains particularly important in segments where customers can easily compare prices, models and product specifications. The highest online sales shares are still recorded in textiles, clothing and footwear, followed by press and books, as well as furniture, consumer electronics and household appliances.
In furniture, electronics and household appliances, the share of e-commerce rose from 17.3% to 19.4% year on year. In the press and books category, it increased from 19.2% to 20.4%. Fashion retained a very high online sales share, although it edged down slightly from 23.7% to 23.6%.
The gap between categories shows that retail digitalisation is progressing unevenly. Online shopping is already a major sales channel in fashion, books and electronics, while in food it accounts for only 0.9% of turnover. Its role in fuel sales remains statistically negligible.
The greatest room for further online growth appears to be in durable goods, health-related products and cosmetics. In these categories, the share of e-commerce is increasing visibly, but still remains well below the levels seen in the most digitalised retail segments.
May’s figures suggest that Polish consumption is entering a phase of selective growth. Demand is not weakening evenly; instead, it is shifting away from food towards durable goods, discretionary purchases and online channels. Retailers that can respond quickly to changing consumer preferences and build effective omnichannel sales models are likely to benefit most.
Key takeaways
What the Statistics Poland data show
- Retail sales are still growing, but at a slower pace. Annual growth reached 3.0%, compared with 4.4% a year earlier. Seasonally adjusted figures nevertheless show that the underlying consumption trend remains positive.
- Food sales are weighing on overall retail performance. Real sales of food, beverages and tobacco fell by 2.8%, despite the category being the largest component of retail turnover.
- Spending on durable and discretionary goods is increasing. Furniture, electronics, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, clothing and footwear all recorded stronger results.
- Fuel turnover is being boosted by prices. The value of fuel sales is rising faster than real purchase volumes, highlighting the impact of higher prices.
- Online retail is steadily gaining market share. E-commerce now accounts for 9.2% of retail sales, with the strongest gains visible in furniture, electronics and books.
In the coming months, the key question will be whether weaker food sales represent only a temporary correction or the start of a more lasting change in consumption patterns. Retail performance will depend primarily on fuel and food prices, labour market conditions and households’ willingness to make larger purchases during the summer and autumn seasons.
Data for May 2026. The figures cover enterprises employing more than nine people, classified according to their predominant activity under PKD 2007. Source: Statistics Poland, “Retail sales in May 2026”, Prices and Services Department. In-house analysis based on Statistics Poland data.
