The fastest growing segment of Polish alcohol exports in recent years is whiskey; the value of exports increased from approximately PLN 40 million in 2021 to PLN 197 million in 2024 – according to the spirits industry report. Liqueur exports are also growing rapidly and have more than tripled in recent years.
From the latest report entitled “The spirits industry and its importance for the economy” presented on Thursday by the Polish Spirits Industry Employers' Association shows that the Polish spirits industry generated GDP in 2024 worth almost PLN 26 billion. It was estimated that the alcoholic beverages market in Poland was worth PLN 68.6 billion. Beer has the largest share in terms of value (PLN 31.2 billion) and sales volume on the Polish market.
The direct contribution of the sector to GDP was set in the report at PLN 13.4 billion in 2024. As explained, it results from the value of manufactured goods. The indirect effect of the industry's activities was estimated at PLN 12.3 billion. This concerns the demand for raw materials, transport and logistics services, as well as supplies for trade, catering and hotel industry (HoReCa).
The report also shows that for a decade, the value of exports of Polish spirits has been growing by an average of 11%. annually to reach PLN 2.4 billion in 2024, which is – as compared – more than the value of foreign sales of milk, cream and yogurts combined. The most important markets for Polish alcoholic beverages are France, the USA, Hungary, Great Britain and Germany..
Vodka remains the export leader, with the value of foreign sales in 2024 amounting to nearly PLN 900 million, the authors of the study reported.
They noted that whiskey has become the fastest growing segment of Polish exports of alcoholic beverages in recent years. “While until 2021 its export did not exceed PLN 40 million per year, by 2024 it increased to PLN 197 million – more than 5 times in 3 years. The export of Polish liqueurs is also growing rapidly, having increased more than 3 times over the last 5 years,” added the authors of the report.
They emphasized that 82 percent the value directly created by the industry goes to the state budget in the form of taxes. The study indicates that the industry is subject to several forms of taxation, such as excise duty, additional fee on small formats, VAT and income taxes. “In the case of the spirits industry, excise tax is definitely the most important, which in 2024 brought budget revenues of PLN 10.3 billion,” it was reported.
The report shows that, taking into account the total value of direct tax payments from the spirits industry for VAT, excise duty, CIT and PIT in the amount of PLN 13.6 billion; additional revenues generated by cooperating industries estimated at PLN 2.6 billion (mainly from VAT, as well as taxes and local fees in the amount of almost PLN 300 million, including fees on the sale of alcoholic beverages in packages up to 300 ml), the state budget and local governments gain over PLN 16.5 billion.
In addition, revenues from contributions and fees were added, including: 1.8 billion for social and health insurance. “In total, this means PLN 18.6 billion of annual revenues for the public finance sector,” the report calculated.
The industry indicated that taxes constitute 72 percent vodka prices, and production and distribution costs and margins – 28 percent. Taxes constitute a total of 36 percent. beer prices.
The authors of the report, citing data from the Central Statistical Office and the National Center for Addiction Prevention, estimated the consumption of pure alcohol in Poland at 177 million liters from beer, 127 million liters from spirits and 24 million liters from wine. Spirits constitute approximately 38.8%. total alcohol consumption in Poland and are responsible for approximately 71%. revenues from taxation of alcohol with excise duty.
The size of the gray zone in the trade in spirits was estimated in the report at 18 million liters per year, which, according to the authors of the study, means a loss for the state budget of PLN 1.3 billion.
As noted, the Polish spirit industry is dominated by micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, which constitute over 99%. all entities operating in this industry. Enterprises producing spirits employ approximately 4.5 thousand people directly. people. Total employment in the industry amounts to over 86.8 thousand.
The industry added that each year the spirits industry buys 1.6 million tons of grain, including 954,000. tons of corn and 38 thousand tons of potatoes. (PAP)
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