Poland ranks among EU’s lowest-cost grocery markets
Food prices in Poland remained well below the EU benchmark in the second half of 2026. Only Romania recorded a lower index among member states.
Poland was one of the least expensive European Union countries for food and non-alcoholic drinks, with its grocery price index standing at 70.8 against an EU reference level of 100. inPoland.net.pl reports the findings on Thursday, October 29, citing a Euronews analysis based on cost-of-living data.
Across the 40 European countries examined, the index ranged from 52.2 in Ukraine to 189.2 in Switzerland. Romania, at 66.7, was the only EU member with a lower reading than Poland, while France, Austria and Germany all stood above the bloc’s average or close to its upper range.
A separate comparison put the price of a basic shopping basket in Poland at €49.60, equivalent to about 218 zlotys. Poland placed second from the bottom, ahead only of Romania at €45.50, while the same basket reached €137.90 in Switzerland.
The figures do not by themselves measure affordability. Household incomes and domestic purchasing power can significantly change how heavily grocery bills weigh on consumers; Eurostat data show food accounts for an average 13.6% of household expenditure in the EU.