Tuesday, 2 June 2026
Poland’s economy maintained solid momentum at the start of 2026, with gross domestic product (GDP) growing by 3.5% year-on-year in the first quarter, according to a preliminary estimate released by Statistics Poland. The result marks a slight acceleration from the 3.2% growth recorded in the same period of 2025 and was revised upward by 0.1 percentage points from the earlier flash estimate.
Seasonally adjusted GDP increased by 0.6% compared with the fourth quarter of 2025, continuing a sequence of quarterly expansion and indicating that domestic demand remained supportive despite a more uncertain external environment.
Domestic demand was the principal driver of growth during the quarter. Domestic uses increased by 3.7% year-on-year, supported by both household spending and investment activity. Final consumption expenditure rose by 3.9%, while gross capital formation increased by 2.7%. Household consumption, which remains the largest component of economic activity, expanded by 3.3%, while public consumption expenditure increased by 6.0%.
Investment activity also remained positive, although at a more moderate pace than at the end of last year. Gross fixed capital formation increased by 2.4% compared with the first quarter of 2025, while the investment ratio declined slightly to 12.9% from 13.2% a year earlier.
Statistics Poland noted that domestic demand contributed 3.5 percentage points to overall GDP growth, with consumer spending accounting for the majority of that contribution. Net exports had a neutral impact on economic growth during the quarter, compared with a slightly negative contribution in the previous quarter.
On a quarterly basis, gross value added in the national economy increased by 0.6%. Transport and storage activities recorded a 0.7% increase compared with the previous quarter, while public administration, education, healthcare and social services collectively grew by 1.0%. However, several sectors experienced quarterly declines, including industry, construction, trade and financial services.
Compared with the first quarter of 2025, industry delivered one of the strongest performances, with gross value added rising by 4.1%. Trade and vehicle repair activities increased by 4.7%, while transport and storage expanded by 3.0%. Public administration, defence, education and healthcare activities together grew by 4.5%. In contrast, construction contracted by 4.5% and financial and insurance activities declined by 3.4%.
The latest figures suggest that Poland’s economic growth continues to be underpinned primarily by domestic consumption and investment, while sectors linked to manufacturing, trade and logistics remain important contributors to overall economic performance. The resilience of household spending, combined with continued investment activity, helped offset weaker results in construction and financial services during the opening months of 2026.
