Although inflation in Poland has been one of the largest in the entire European Union in recent years, prices on the shelves of this country's stores still remain significantly lower than in many neighboring countries. Trade experts point out: today Poland, compared to Germany, Lithuania or the Czech Republic, has become a kind of paradise for the cheapest goods and is attracting more and more buyers from abroad.
Prices are rising, but Poland still stands out for its cheapness
Over the past five years, the overall consumer price level in Poland has risen by more than 40%, but the prices of goods – especially food – remain among the lowest in the EU, according to Eurostat and the Polish Statistical Office (GUS). Only in Romania and Bulgaria are some everyday goods even cheaper.
Most importantly, cheaper goods in Poland are visible not only in official statistics, but also in everyday life: queues of cars with foreign license plates regularly form at the borders with Lithuania, Germany or the Czech Republic. In the fourth quarter of this year, foreign buyers visited Poland as many as 36,6 million times - almost as many as Poles shop in their neighbors.
Buyer flows and different priorities
In Poland, foreign buyers mostly buy food, drinks, and household goods, while Poles themselves abroad tend to spend more on services, such as tourism or transport. Foreigners leave about 5,9 billion zlotys (about 1,3 billion euros) in Poland per year, while Poles in neighboring countries spend significantly less.
Which products are the cheapest?
Research shows that prices for meat, milk, bread, vegetables, and tobacco remain extremely low in Poland. Some products, such as alcohol, may be more expensive than, say, Germany, but basic everyday goods are significantly cheaper.
At the same time, services such as apartment rental and transportation are even more expensive in Poland in some places than in Western Europe - this is one of the few areas where Poles cannot boast of being cheap.
Why is Poland still cheap?
Economists point out that while inflation has had a significant impact on prices in Poland and across Eastern Europe, faster wage growth in Western countries means that their residents still feel like they are in a “discount paradise” in Poland. In addition, strong competition between large retail chains and manufacturers keeps prices low.
Poland continues to be one of the most attractive countries for budget-conscious shoppers in the region. Despite the rapid price increase, it is here that you can shop the cheapest for both everyday consumption and larger purchases. So even with inflation, Poland is a real discount capital on the European map.
