Shopping in Poland 2026: Souvenirs, Sundays & Tax Free

How’s the shopping in Poland? These post-communist days, very good indeed. After 1989, Poland entered the capitalist world with a vengeance, and the decades since have turned a country once famous for its empty shelves into one stuffed with glossy malls, lively markets, and craft worth carrying home. You can spend a lot in the boutiques, or a little at a sidewalk vendor or open-air market. And you can still get a bargain if you seek one, for Poles love to haggle in the markets, so bone up on your Polish numbers and money before you go; they’ll come in handy.

What to buy: Polish souvenirs worth carrying home

If you’re looking for items particularly Polish, skip the fridge magnets and seek out the real thing. The classics still hold up:

Baltic amber (bursztyn) — Poland’s signature gemstone, fossilised resin washed up along the Baltic coast and worked into jewellery for centuries. Gdańsk is its spiritual home. Beware of plastic and pressed imitations: genuine amber is warm to the touch, lightweight, and floats in salty water. Buy from a reputable shop and ask for a certificate of authenticity for anything pricey.
Bolesławiec stoneware pottery — the hand-stamped blue-and-white (and now many-coloured) ceramics from the town of Bolesławiec in Lower Silesia. Mugs, bowls, and baking dishes that are both beautiful and genuinely useful. Widely sold across Poland and a perennial favourite.
Polish vodka — from clear classics to flavoured varieties like żubrówka (bison-grass). A bottle from a good liquor shop makes an easy gift (mind your duty-free allowances on the way home).
Cepelia folk crafts — the long-running Cepelia name covers traditional handicrafts: wooden carvings, lacework, linen embroidery, hand-painted boxes, and folk decorations.
Highland goods — from the Tatra mountains: chunky woollen socks and embroidered leather kierpce slippers, plus smoked sheep’s cheese (oscypek) if you fancy a taste of the highlands. More on regional eating in our guide to Polish food.
Polish posters — the graphic-design tradition is genuinely renowned, and original or reproduction prints can be had quite reasonably away from the main tourist sites.

Where to shop: malls, markets, and high streets

Poland gives you two very different shopping moods, and the best trips use both.

Modern malls (galeria)

Every city of any size has its big shopping centre — look for the word Galeria in the name. These are the sleek, air-conditioned, all-under-one-roof affairs with international chains, Polish brands, cafés, and cinemas. Convenient, especially in bad weather, and a safe bet for sizes and returns.

Markets and halls (hala, targ)

For character, head to the market halls and open-air markets. Kraków’s Stary Kleparz and the cloth stalls under the Sukiennice (Cloth Hall), Warsaw’s Hala Mirowska, and countless local targi are where you’ll find fresh produce, flowers, pickles, honey, regional cheeses, and the occasional genuine craft bargain. This is also where the haggling tradition lives on — gently, and only in the markets, never in the shops.

The Sunday trading ban: most shops are closed on Sundays

This is the single most important thing to plan around. Since 2018, Poland has had a Sunday trading ban, and most shops — supermarkets, malls, larger stores — are closed on Sundays. Only a limited number of “trading Sundays” are allowed each year, when everything opens as normal.

In 2026, the eight trading Sundays are: 25 January, 29 March, 26 April, 28 June, 30 August, 6 December, 13 December, and 20 December. The December cluster is the pre-Christmas shopping run; otherwise, assume any given Sunday is closed and check before you rely on it.

There are exemptions, so you won’t go hungry. Still open on a normal Sunday:

Small owner-run shops where the proprietor works the counter themselves
Żabka and similar small convenience stores (many, though not all, locations)
Bakeries, flower shops, and pharmacies
Petrol-station shops, open round the clock
Shops at airports, train and bus stations
Restaurants, cafés, and cinemas, which were never affected

So the rule of thumb: do your real shopping Monday to Saturday, and treat Sunday as a day for sightseeing, eating out, and topping up at a corner Żabka.

Tax Free refunds for non-EU visitors

If you live outside the EU, you can claim back part of the VAT (sales tax) on goods you carry home, under the Tax Free for Tourists scheme. Poland’s standard VAT is 23%, so the saving on bigger purchases — amber, ceramics, electronics — is well worth the paperwork.

Minimum spend: at least 200 PLN in a single shop on one receipt (roughly €45–50).
At the till: tell staff you want a Tax Free purchase and show your passport; they’ll issue a Tax Free document. Look for the “Tax Free” logo in participating shops.
On the way out: get your form validated when you leave the EU — at Polish borders this is increasingly done electronically (look for the TAX FREE / PUESC e-validation). You must export the goods before the end of the third month after purchase.
The refund is paid by the operator (cash, card, or transfer) once the form is validated.

Rules and thresholds change, so check the official Polish customs portal (puesc.gov.pl) or ask your refund operator before counting on a specific amount.

Opening hours and paying

Outside the Sunday rule, hours are generous and broadly European. Grocery and convenience stores open early — often from 6.00 or 7.00 — and trade into the evening, later in the big cities than in the countryside. Non-food shops typically run from around 10.00–11.00 to 18.00–20.00 on weekdays, with shorter hours on Saturdays. Malls keep long, consistent hours (commonly 9.00 or 10.00 until 21.00 or 22.00). For anything time-sensitive, glance at the door — opening hours (godziny otwarcia) are nearly always posted.

A few survivals of the old days remain. If you go into a self-service store (samoobsługa), grab a basket on the way in — in some shops it’s still expected, and a few will gently chastise you for wandering in without one. And when you’ve got your goods, you may need to ask for a bag (torebka); they’re rarely free, so a packable tote saves both money and plastic.

The good news for modern travellers: Poland is almost entirely cashless-friendly. Contactless cards and phones are accepted virtually everywhere, from department stores to market stalls to that round-the-clock Żabka. You’ll still want a little cash for the smallest market vendors, but you can travel light on the zloty. See our guide to local money for the details.

Shopping in Poland: FAQ

Are shops open on Sunday in Poland?

Mostly no. Under the Sunday trading ban, supermarkets, malls, and larger stores are closed on most Sundays, with only eight “trading Sundays” in 2026 (25 January, 29 March, 26 April, 28 June, 30 August, and 6, 13 and 20 December). Small owner-run shops, many Żabka convenience stores, bakeries, pharmacies, petrol stations, and shops at airports and stations stay open as usual.

What is the best souvenir to bring back from Poland?

Baltic amber jewellery and Bolesławiec stoneware pottery are the two iconic choices. Polish vodka, Cepelia folk crafts, highland wool and slippers, and the renowned Polish posters are all excellent, characterful gifts.

Can tourists claim a VAT refund in Poland?

Yes — non-EU residents can use the Tax Free for Tourists scheme. Spend at least 200 PLN in one shop, ask for a Tax Free document and show your passport, then have it validated when you leave the EU to reclaim part of the 23% VAT.

How do I know if amber is real?

Genuine Baltic amber is warm and light to the touch and floats in heavily salted water, whereas plastic imitations sink. Buy from established shops, and ask for a certificate of authenticity for anything expensive.

Can I pay by card everywhere in Poland?

Almost. Contactless cards and mobile payments are accepted nearly everywhere, including convenience stores and many market stalls. Carry a small amount of cash only for the smallest independent vendors.