Poland’s retail sales edge down annually in March, surge month-on-month

Retail sales in Poland fell slightly in March 2025, marking a year-on-year (y-o-y) decrease of 0.3% at constant prices, compared to a 6.1% increase in March 2024, according to data released by Statistics Poland. However, on a month-on-month (m-o-m) basis, retail sales rose by 14.3%, driven in part by seasonal factors.

For the first quarter of 2025 (January–March), retail sales grew by 1.4% y-o-y, down from a 5.0% increase in the same period of 2024.

Sector Breakdown

Among major categories, several sectors experienced annual declines in March:
• Other goods: down 12.2%
• Food, beverages, and tobacco: down 9.4%
• Solid, liquid, and gaseous fuels: down 0.1%

On the other hand, several categories posted strong growth:
• Motor vehicles, motorcycles, and parts: up 18.4%
• Furniture, electronics, and household appliances: up 12.9%
• Textiles, clothing, and footwear: up 6.7%
• Pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and orthopaedic products: up 5.0%
• Newspapers, books, and specialty store goods: up 1.0%

E-commerce Growth

Online retail also continued to grow, with sales rising 13.1% y-o-y in March. E-commerce accounted for 9.0% of total retail sales, up from 8.0% the previous year. Notably, the online share of:
• Textiles, clothing, and footwear rose from 23.0% to 27.2%
• Furniture and electronics increased from 17.1% to 17.9%
• Books and specialty store items dropped from 23.3% to 19.9%

Seasonally Adjusted Figures

When adjusted for seasonal factors, retail sales in March 2025 were:
• 1.0% higher than in March 2024
• 1.9% higher than in February 2025

The March drop in food and beverage sales was partially influenced by Easter falling in early April this year, compared to late March in 2024, as well as fewer trading days.

Source: GUS