June: Grocery Prices in Poland Rise Slower

21 July 2026 Poland Radar 0 Comments

Daily shopping costs rose 2.7% in June. This report explains why grocery prices in Poland are slowing and what expats should watch.

Daily shopping costs rose by 2.7% year-on-year in June, according to UCE Research and WSB Merito. However, grocery prices in Poland now rise more slowly than in spring.

Table of Contents

What the June report shows

UCE Research and the University of WSB Merito track nearly 100,000 retail prices. Moreover, they cover 45,500 stores across 64 chains. Consequently, the dataset includes discounters, hypermarkets, supermarkets, convenience stores and cash&carry outlets. In addition, analysts compared 17 categories and over 100 everyday products. Therefore the index gives a practical view of what people actually buy.

Why this slowdown matters

Inflation at the tills now grows at 2.7 percent. However, that rate fell from 3.7 percent in April and 3.4 percent in May. Consequently, this marks the third consecutive month of slowing price rises. Moreover, food inflation eased to 1.9 percent year-on-year in June. Therefore households face smaller pushes to their weekly budgets than earlier in the year.

Why grocery prices in Poland are slowing

Analysts point to a stronger złoty that cut import costs for energy, food and packaging. Moreover, Polish discounters fight for market share with aggressive pricing. Consequently, basic items like flour, oil and milk serve as low-cost attractors. In addition, the summer harvest boosted supply for fruits and vegetables. However, retail margins kept rising despite slower shelf-price growth. Therefore stores maintained profitability by squeezing suppliers and keeping some purchase gains.

External shocks and delayed effects

Geopolitical tensions in the Gulf raised fears for prices. However, those effects hit Polish shelves less than expected. Consequently, the index may not yet reflect full supply-chain shifts. Moreover, retail prices often react with a lag of several months. Therefore shoppers should expect monitoring to reveal further changes later in the year.

💡 GOOD TO KNOW: If you live in Poland as an expat, track grocery prices and your household costs monthly. In Poland you will interact with institutions like ZUS (the social security agency), NFZ (the public health insurer), and you may need a PESEL (national ID number) for some services. In addition, note that a traffic fine is called a “mandat”. Keep receipts and check loyalty cards for discounts. Therefore plan a buffer in your budget for occasional spikes.

Short-term relief in price growth helps but does not erase past increases. Moreover, the index fell by one percentage point in two months. Consequently, this change may reduce pressure on monthly budgets. However, the basic food basket still costs more than a year ago.

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