Friday, 6 February 2026
The latest figures from the BIG InfoMonitor Debtors Register and the BIK credit information database point to mounting financial strain in three of Poland’s core economic sectors. Trade, manufacturing and construction together account for nearly half of all outstanding corporate debt in the country, with the combined value of overdue liabilities reaching approximately PLN 22.7 billion. Total unpaid obligations of Polish companies currently stand at around PLN 46.2 billion.
Data from both databases show that although the number of indebted companies has fallen in each of the three sectors, the overall value of arrears has continued to grow. In trade, overdue debt now exceeds PLN 9 billion, reflecting a modest annual increase, while more than 7,000 entities have been removed from the register of unreliable payers. In construction, outstanding liabilities rose by roughly 10 percent year-on-year, climbing from PLN 5.4 billion to over PLN 6 billion, despite a decline of nearly 3,700 debtors. Manufacturing recorded an increase of around PLN 430 million, bringing total arrears to more than PLN 7.6 billion, even as the number of companies with overdue payments fell by close to 2,000.
According to BIG InfoMonitor, more than 142,000 businesses from these three sectors are currently listed with financial arrears. Paweł Szarkowski, President of BIG InfoMonitor, noted that the scale of overdue liabilities highlights the need for companies to verify the payment credibility of potential partners both before and during cooperation. He added that interest in financial background checks has been growing, with millions of inquiries recorded over the past year from banks and private enterprises seeking to reduce the risk of delayed payments and liquidity pressures.
Market observers point to a combination of rising operating costs, weaker demand and margin pressure as the main drivers of financial tension. Many firms are operating close to profitability thresholds, which increases the importance of payment discipline, ongoing monitoring of receivables and effective debt recovery processes.
In the trade sector, analysts describe a prolonged squeeze on margins driven by higher energy, logistics and labour expenses, combined with limited room to raise consumer prices. More cautious household spending and slower turnover of goods have also contributed to tighter cash flows, particularly for small and medium-sized retailers. Limited access to working capital financing has further constrained the sector.
Construction shows a different dynamic, where the overall number of indebted firms is shrinking but the value of arrears is rising. Industry representatives describe this as a concentration of financial risk among a smaller group of medium and large contractors responsible for major infrastructure and commercial projects. A shortage of new public investments and intense competition for tenders have led companies to accept lower margins, often resulting in delayed payments along supply chains. A slowdown in residential development has added further pressure.
In manufacturing, debt growth has been more moderate compared with the other two sectors. Despite continued exposure to high energy and labour costs, there are signs of improving performance, supported by stronger industrial output at the end of 2025. However, analysts warn that challenges remain, including the need for costly energy transitions, elevated employment expenses and uncertainty linked to external markets, particularly Germany and broader EU-US trade relations.
Experts underline that trade, construction and manufacturing together represent roughly 40 percent of Poland’s gross domestic product, which partly explains their large share in total overdue debt. At the same time, the declining number of indebted companies is viewed as a positive sign that some businesses are improving their financial standing, even though financial difficulties continue to deepen for others, leading to a concentration of higher liabilities among fewer entities.
Source: BIG InfoMonitor
