Poland's retail sales grow by 3.9%: Furniture and electronics sales rise by 8.8%

In July 2026, Poland's retail sales rose by 3.9% in real terms compared with a year earlier. Compared to June, sales rose by 2.2%. The Polish Central Statistical Office (GUS) reported this on August 24. According to a PAP Biznes survey, economists had expected a 4.2% increase. In current prices, retail sales rose by 5.3%.

The pace of growth has slowed. In June, the increase was still 6.2%. Over the first seven months, retail sales grew by 3.7% in real terms. In the same period last year, the figure was 3.3%.

Furniture and cosmetics are driving growth, while clothing sales are falling

Growth is unevenly distributed. Pharmaceuticals and cosmetics rose by 10.8%. Furniture, household appliances, and consumer electronics followed with 8.8%. Motor vehicles rose by 8.1%. The “other goods” category grew by 9.2%. Food, beverages, and tobacco, by contrast, grew by only 1.5%.

Three segments contracted. Clothing and shoes fell by 1.7%. Newspapers and books declined by 1.2%. Fuel sales were down slightly by 0.2%, after having grown by 9% in June. The month-over-month comparison shows the shift more clearly: Sales of fuels fell by 6.8% compared to June, while sales of furniture and electrical appliances rose by 8.6%.

Online retail is growing more slowly than the overall market suggests. According to GUS, online sales rose by 9% in current prices. Its share of total retail sales climbed from 8.6% to 8.9%.

Industry Shows Stronger Growth

Polish industry grew more significantly than the retail sector in July. According to GUS, industrial production rose by 5.1% compared with the same month last year. Compared with June, it fell by 1.8%. After adjusting for calendar and seasonal effects, it was 4.2% higher than the previous year and 0.5% higher than in June.

Thus, both consumption and production are driving the Polish economy simultaneously. GUS describes the retail sector matter-of-factly: “Retail sales at constant prices in July 2026 were 3.9% higher than the previous year.” The data does not indicate a slump in domestic demand.

For German exporters, two trends are key. First, Polish demand for durable goods remains stable. Furniture, major appliances, consumer electronics, and vehicles are all growing at high single-digit rates. German manufacturers in these categories continue to find a market in Poland, and prices are holding steady. Second, the textile sector is losing momentum. Suppliers of clothing and footwear must expect pressure to offer discounts. For investors, Poland remains a market where both consumer spending and industry are growing. This is currently the exception in Central Europe.

Sources: GUS, Retail Sales Growth in July 2026, August 24, 2026; GUS, Industrial Production Growth in July 2026 (PL)

SK, Frankfurt