Night ban on the sale of alcohol throughout Poland. Surprising data
The average Pole drinks over 11 liters of pure alcohol a year, which is a result much higher than the world average. It is not surprising that the night prohibition is gaining more and more support in society.
Since 2010, alcohol consumption in Poland has increased by 10 percent, while in most OECD countries (organization of economic and development) fell during that time. 11.7 liters per person means more than less, but that the statistics also added babies and children, who were attributed to statistical drinking 4.5 liters of beer or 2.4 bottles of wine a week. Application? To unscrew this result, some Poles drink much more than the average!
OECD postulates the introduction in Poland a ban on advertising all alcohol and a ban on sponsorship of sporting events by the alcohol industry. Poles want a much more radical step.
Night sales of alcohol in the crosshairs of most Poles
62.8 percent Poles support the idea of the night ban on selling alcoholic beverages throughout the country – according to the latest SW Research survey for Wirtualna Polska. The opposite opinion is 20.7 percent. when asked.
In the largest group of respondents, 39.4 percent Poles chose the “definitely yes” option and 23.4 percent “Rather yes.” There are much less declared opponents of this idea: only 9.7 percent have marked the “definitely not” option. respondents, but “rather not” – 11 percent
It also turned out that 16.5 percent Poles have no opinion on this matter, which is amazing taking into account the effects of drinking to the whole society: alcoholism affects up to 2 million Poles, and men usually drink three times more than women.
Poles clearly want to limit alcohol availability
Socio-economic costs of alcoholism The State Agency for Solving Alcohol Problems in 2021 estimated as much as PLN 93.3 billion. Excise duty from the sale of drinks during the examined period brought only PLN 13.4 billion to the state budget. The bill is therefore obvious and solving the problem also.
In Poland, 176 municipalities and cities have already adopted a ban on selling alcohol at night, i.e. about 7 percent. local governments in Poland. Most in the following voivodships: Mazowieckie (26), Lesser Poland (20) and Greater Poland (20).
In 2025, Gdańsk, Szczecin, Słupsk and – in the tourist season – also decided to do so. Konin boasted the effects of the ban: by over 69 percent The number of home interventions undertaken by the police has dropped. – You can see that at night after 22:00 the situation is calmer, especially in areas where people with easy access to alcohol were previously gathered. The ban was also limited by drinking among young people – said deputy president Konin Witold Nowak in an interview with PAP.
Against this background, Warsaw is very pale, where councilors did not agree to limit alcohol sales at night. From November 1, only two districts will introduce restrictions: Śródmieście and Praga North. The night ban on selling alcohol in Warsaw may be in force throughout the city from June 1, 2026.
