This article is a part of Poland Unpacked. Weekly intelligence for decision-makers
Polish households are saving an increasingly large share of their income. The latest Eurostat figures show that Poland's household saving rate rose to 10.1% in the second quarter of 2026, narrowing the gap with the EU average.
Interactive chart According to Eurostat, Poland's household saving rate increased by 0.6 percentage points from the previous quarter, reaching 10.1%. Czechia recorded an identical increase. These were the largest gains among EU countries for which data are available.
Meanwhile, the saving rate across the European Union declined by 0.3 percentage points to 13.9%. Most countries covered by the statistics recorded declines, with the largest in Finland (1.6 percentage points), Italy (1.2 percentage points), and Belgium (1.1 percentage points).
Poland is catching up with the EU
Over the longer term, household saving rates in both Poland and the EU remain substantially higher than before the pandemic. Between 2016 and 2019, Poland's saving rate averaged 6.2%, or 3.9 percentage points below its current level.
The increase has been smaller across the EU. Before the pandemic, the bloc's average household saving rate stood at 11.8%, compared with 13.9% in the second quarter of 2026. That represents an increase of 2.1 percentage points.
As a result, the gap between Poland and the EU average has narrowed from 5.6 to 3.8 percentage points. Although Polish households still save a smaller proportion of their income than their EU counterparts on average, the difference is shrinking significantly.
Higher incomes encourage saving
Interactive chart Several factors are likely behind the increase in Poland's household saving rate.
Most importantly, households have been rebuilding their purchasing power following the period of high inflation. Rising real incomes have allowed them to increase consumption while also setting aside a greater share of their earnings.
The desire to replenish savings depleted during the inflation crisis may also have played a role. Persistent uncertainty about the economic outlook has provided another incentive for households to be financially cautious.
Interest rates on bank deposits and bonds, which remain higher than before the pandemic, offer an additional incentive to save.
Fiscal policy may also play a role
Poland's expansionary fiscal policy may also be contributing to the increase in household savings. The country's general government deficit widened from 3.4% of GDP in 2022 to 7.2% in 2025.
Part of this increase reflects higher social transfers and public-sector wages, which directly boost household incomes. If the additional money is not spent entirely on consumption, some of it may flow into savings instead.
This suggests that improvements in household finances may be occurring partly at the expense of the government's fiscal position.
The relationship is not automatic, however. Much depends on the composition of public spending and how households choose to use their additional income.