The Ministry of Finance has published data on revenues from the fee on alcoholic beverages in packages up to 300 ml. for the first half of 2025. The results show which provincial cities in Poland spend the most on this type of alcohol.
From January 1, 2021, the so-called monkey fee. Each liter 100% alcohol sold in packages up to 300 ml incurs an additional fee of PLN 25. The income from this fee is divided: half goes to the National Health Fund, and the other half goes to the budget of the commune where the sale was made.
Alcohol in Poland. Ranking of “monkeys” by city
“Głos Wielkopolski” looked at the data published by the Ministry of Finance. To determine in which provincial city the most alcohol in small bottles is consumed, the amount of revenue from the monkey tax was divided by the number of inhabitants of a given city. The result shows how much the average resident spent on “monkeys” in the first half of 2025.
Here's what the ranking looks like:
1. Gdańsk – PLN 7.38
2. Katowice – PLN 7.27
3. Wrocław – PLN 7.25
4. Poznań – PLN 6.91
5. Warsaw – PLN 6.82
6. Opole – PLN 6.64
7. Kraków – PLN 6.63
8. Kielce – PLN 6.34
9. Zielona Góra – PLN 6.23
10. Rzeszów – PLN 6.15
11. Gorzów Wielkopolski – PLN 5.97
12. Olsztyn – PLN 5.95
13. Szczecin – PLN 5.64
14. Białystok – PLN 5.60
15. Lublin – PLN 5.29
16. Łódź – PLN 5.23
17. Toruń – PLN 5.08
18. Bydgoszcz – PLN 4.68
Gdańsk ranks first in the ranking, with PLN 7.38 per inhabitant. The capital took only fifth place with a result of PLN 6.82. Katowice (PLN 7.27) and Wrocław (PLN 7.25) were also on the podium. At the end of the ranking were Bydgoszcz (PLN 4.68), Toruń (PLN 5.08) and Łódź (PLN 5.23).
The level of spending on “monkeys” in individual cities may be influenced by various factors, such as the number of tourists, the average income level of residents or the availability of alcohol in small packages.
Alcohol in Poland
In 2024, state revenues from excise duty on alcohol amounted to approximately PLN 9.98 billion from ethyl alcohol and PLN 3.66 billion from beer.
In Poland there are from 600 to 800 thousand. people addicted to alcohol, and about 3 million drink excessively and harmfully. According to the World Health Organization, alcohol is the second most important risk factor for population health in Europe.
It is estimated that 2 to 4 percent all cancer cases are caused directly or indirectly by alcohol. Regularly drinking alcohol increases the risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, larynx, liver and breast in women.
Source: Głos Wielkopolski, PAP
