This article is a part of Poland Unpacked. Weekly intelligence for decision-makers
Interactive chart Average wages in Poland’s corporate sector rose by 5.9% year on year in September, reaching PLN 9,266.48, according to Statistics Poland (GUS). Growth was slightly faster than in August, when it stood at 5.6%, but fell short of analysts’ expectations of 6.1%. It is worth remembering that these figures cover only companies employing at least 10 people. Wage growth across the economy as a whole was probably somewhat slower.
Interactive chart Real wage growth has therefore fallen to its lowest level since August 2023. This reflects elevated inflation, which reached 4.1% in September. Nevertheless, the purchasing power of wages continues to increase, rising by around 1.7% year on year.
Gross versus net wage growth
Real take-home pay is growing slightly more slowly, however, once unchanged income tax thresholds and the tax-free allowance are taken into account. As nominal wages rise, the effective tax burden increases.
For example, in September 2025, someone earning the average corporate-sector wage took home approximately PLN 6,295 a month. The latest GUS figures translate into net monthly pay of around PLN 6,646, assuming standard income tax and social security contributions.
This represents nominal net wage growth of approximately 5.6%, or 1.4% after adjusting for inflation, compared with 1.7% for gross wages. Later this week, we will find out whether such modest real wage growth, compared with previous months, has translated into slower retail sales growth.
The end of the year should bring stability
October should bring some relief, mainly thanks to lower inflation following the introduction of the Ceny Paliwa Niżej (Lower Fuel Prices, or CPN) program. According to the governor of the National Bank of Poland (NBP), inflation could return to the central bank’s target range of 2.5%, with a tolerance band of one percentage point in either direction.
The CPN program is scheduled to run until the end of the year. Nominal wage growth is likely to continue fluctuating between 5% and 6%. This would mean real wages could rise by around 2% year on year.
Explainer
CPN program - the name comes from the fuel station that fueled communist Poland
If you've spent any time in Poland talking to people old enough to remember the PRL – the Polish People’s Republic – you'll eventually hear someone mention CPN with a mix of fondness and exasperation. Fun fact: some of them still call any fuel station a CPN. Simple as that.
CPN stood for Centrala Produktów Naftowych – the Central Petroleum Products Authority. In plain terms, it was the only petrol station in Poland. Not one chain among many. The only one, full stop.
In 1981, CPN employed a total of 14,200 people and 5,600 petrol station agents, and had 43 fuel laboratories operating in the country. It was, in other words, an enormous state apparatus built around the simple act of filling up a tank.
When communism collapsed and Poland began its transformation, the days of CPN as a monopoly were numbered. CPN was restructured as a state-owned limited liability company in 1995. By the end of the decade, CPN's operations included more than 1,400 service stations, 156 fuel depots, a 600-strong fleet of tanker trucks, port operations, and 22 research laboratories.
In 1999, the Polish Council of Ministers decided to partially privatise and merge CPN with Petrochemia Płock, the state firm in charge of the oil refineries in Płock. The resulting company was renamed Polski Koncern Naftowy (PKN), with Orlen added several months later as the brand name.
Early 2027 could mark a turning point
The beginning of next year will be particularly important. Many companies introduce pay rises and revised salary scales in January. This will reveal whether the slowdown in nominal wage growth observed for some time is set to continue.
Workers may also seek pay increases to compensate for higher-than-expected inflation in 2026 during wage negotiations.
In addition, the statutory minimum wage will rise at the beginning of the year. In 2027, however, the increase will be just 3%. A higher minimum wage will directly boost the earnings of the lowest-paid workers and may indirectly influence wages elsewhere in the economy. Given the modest size of the increase, however, its impact on overall wage growth will be weaker than in previous years.
The government is also likely to decide towards the end of this year whether to extend the CPN program into the first months of 2027. For now, there is little indication that the supply shock in the oil market will ease quickly. Futures contracts for US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil are still trading close to USD 100 a barrel.
If nominal wage growth continues to slow while inflation accelerates again, consumer spending growth could weaken significantly.