Spirits production and consumption
Between 2010 and 2020, the Polish spirits production industry welcomed a total of 22 new manufacturing enterprises. As a result, the industry employs over 4.5 thousand individuals.Over the last decade, the per capita average spirits consumption has fluctuated. Men constituted the vast majority of Polish hard liquor enthusiasts; relatively few women enjoyed spirits consumption. Poles aged between 35 and 44 years of age accounted for 30 percent of spirits consumers in 2021. At the same time, those aged 55 to 64 years were least likely to consume spirits.
The rising popularity of whiskey
In the past few years, Poles adopted a new trend in their spirits consumption, namely choosing alcohol quality over quantity. This conclusion can be drawn when looking at the value of the luxury alcohol market in Poland, which is estimated to reach over 1.1 billion zloty in 2026, with premium spirits constituting the largest segment.Whiskey figures among the most appreciated spirits – this comes as no surprise considering the wide variety of whiskey brands offered in stores nationwide. Especially Carrefour and Kaufland customers could choose from the most whiskey brands. The rising popularity of this distilled alcoholic beverage is also reflected in the steadily increasing number of whiskey bottles imported to Poland. Polish consumers especially favor Scotch and blended whiskey types, among others. Moreover, in 2021, the value of whiskey imports reached an all-time record of 282 million U.S. dollars.