According to a new international report by UCE RESEARCH and Shopfully, 46.7% of Poles believe their purchasing power will increase year-on-year in 2025, yet they still plan to save money. Only Austrians are slightly more optimistic, with 46.9% sharing this view. In Poland, this perspective is most common among individuals earning between PLN 5,000 and 6,999 net per month. Meanwhile, 35.4% of Polish consumers do not believe their financial situation will improve, a lower rate than in most European countries — with France topping the list at 71.1%.
Only 17.9% of Poles expect their purchasing power to grow and plan to increase their spending — the highest rate among the surveyed countries. This group is led by high earners with monthly net incomes exceeding PLN 9,000.
Cautious Optimism Despite Economic Strain
The UCE RESEARCH and Shopfully study assessed consumer expectations across several European countries, asking if people believed their purchasing power would improve in 2025 compared to the previous year. Among Poles, 46.7% anticipate a positive change but still intend to save. The researchers interpret this as a sign of slight financial improvement, accompanied by lasting habits of frugality born during the recent period of high inflation.
“The results align with recent data from Poland’s Central Statistical Office (GUS). Other market research also shows that while inflation has declined, many consumers still feel financially insecure — primarily because retail prices remain stubbornly high. Though price increases have slowed, consumers don’t perceive that as prices actually falling. This lingering skepticism keeps people cautious,” explains Robert Biegaj, a retail market expert and co-author of the report.
European Comparison
Polish consumer optimism is among the highest in Europe. Following Poles (46.7%) and Austrians (46.9%) are Italians (39.9%), Romanians (37.3%), Bulgarians (36.3%), and Spaniards (35.5%). Germany (33.5%) and Hungary (31.3%) trail further behind, while France ranks lowest, with only 25.2% of respondents expecting an improvement in purchasing power.
“This places us in second place, just behind Austria. It shows that Poles are surprisingly optimistic compared to the rest of Europe,” Biegaj adds.
Demographic Trends Among the Cautiously Hopeful
Among the 46.7% of Poles expecting an increase in purchasing power but planning to save, the most represented groups are:
- Young adults aged 18–24 (60.4%)
- People earning PLN 5,000–6,999 net/month (51.5%)
- Residents of cities with populations between 200,000 and 499,000 (50.9%)
- Students and pupils (69%)
“Young people, especially students, are often saving for major life goals like an apartment, car, or a holiday. Incomes between PLN 5,000 and 7,000 net offer some room to save, though not a great deal of comfort,” says Biegaj.
Financial Pessimism Still Prevalent Among Some Groups
Roughly 35.4% of Poles do not expect their financial situation to improve. This sentiment is particularly common among:
- Seniors aged 65–74 (56.2%)
- Individuals earning PLN 1,000–2,999 net/month (49.4%)
- Residents of small towns with 5,000–19,000 inhabitants (39.5%)
- Retirees (57.1%)
“This part of the report clearly highlights the vulnerable position of seniors, pensioners, and the lowest earners in small towns. Their benefits are low and poorly indexed, which leaves them pessimistic,” explains Biegaj.
In comparison, skepticism is even more widespread in other countries:
- France: 71.1%
- Hungary: 64.3%
- Germany: 62.7%
- Spain: 56.9%
- Italy: 55.9%
- Romania: 55.1%
- Bulgaria: 53.1%
- Austria: 41.8%
Optimism and Willingness to Spend
Only 17.9% of Poles believe their purchasing power will improve this year and plan to spend more money — making them the most optimistic consumers in Europe by this measure. They are followed by:
- Austrians: 11.4%
- Bulgarians: 10.6%
- Spaniards: 7.6%
- Romanians: 7.5%
- Hungarians: 4.4%
- Italians: 4.3%
- Germans: 3.9%
- French: 3.6%
Those most likely to plan increased spending in Poland are:
- Young adults aged 18–24 (30.8%)
- Individuals earning over PLN 9,000 net/month (37.9%)
- Residents of cities with populations between 100,000 and 199,000 (23.5%)
- People on parental or maternity/paternity leave (33.3%)
“Young people often have fewer financial obligations, like loans or dependents. High earners in large cities typically have more spending flexibility than their peers in smaller towns. Our report clearly reflects these dynamics,” concludes Biegaj.
About the Research
The findings are based on a special public opinion survey conducted using the CAWI (Computer Assisted Web Interview) method by UCE RESEARCH and Shopfully. The Polish sample included 1,032 respondents aged 18–80. Identical surveys were simultaneously conducted in Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy, Bulgaria, Romania, France, and Hungary.
Source: CEO.com.pl – Poles are Europe’s leaders in cautious optimism
