Polish Left proposes nationwide ban on nighttime alcohol sales in shops

Sep 23, 2025 | Business, Law, Politics, Society

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Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and is published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support.

A newly proposed law would introduce a nationwide ban in Poland on shops selling alcohol at night and on all forms of alcohol advertising.

On Tuesday, The Left (Lewica), which is part of Poland’s ruling coalition, announced that it had submitted legislation to parliament aimed at toughening rules on access to and promotion of alcohol.

The sale of alcohol for off-premises consumption would be banned nationwide between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., with local authorities able to extend those hours up to 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. if they wish. Bars, clubs and restaurants would still be allowed to sell alcohol for on-premises consumption as presently.

Under the new measures, advertising of and promotions relating to alcohol would also be prohibited, as would the sale of alcohol at petrol stations. Online sales would only be allowed if the buyer collects the products themselves and proves their age and identity, with delivery banned.

“We all see people covered in vomit at night, behaving in disreputable ways outside shops,” said Włodzimierz Czarzasty, one of the leaders of The Left, announcing the new proposals. “We see young people drinking heavily and the number of accidents caused by alcohol.”

He noted that another member of the ruling coalition, the centrist Poland 2050 (Polska 2050), has “similar views” on introducing such restrictions and expressed hope that other parties would follow suit. “This issue should be nonpartisan,” declared Czarzasty.

 

Czarzasty also pointed to a poll, published today by IBRiS and commissioned by the Polish Press Agency (PAP), which shows that 68% of the public support a nighttime prohibition on alcohol sales with only 28% opposed. Women (80%) expressed much stronger support than men (58%).

Sports minister Jakub Rutnicki, who comes from the centrist Civic Coalition (KO), Poland’s main ruling group, told Polsat News that the idea of banning nighttime sales was “good” and that they were “open to constructive discussion” with their partners over the proposed ban.

“The fact that we have a gigantic problem when it comes to alcohol consumption is beyond dispute,” said Rutnicki. “Poles need to feel safe, especially in their own neighbourhoods, and limiting alcohol consumption will certainly have a positive impact on the health of all of us.”

The issue has recently come to greater public attention after controversy in Warsaw, the capital, over proposals to introduce a nighttime ban in the city. They were withdrawn at the last minute and instead a pilot scheme involving just two districts was introduced.

On Monday, Prime Minister Donald Tusk – who is also the leader of KO, which holds power in Warsaw – said that he was “not happy with what happened” regarding the proposed bans, reports news website Onet.

“I would prefer to see local authorities follow the example of those who strive to combat the negative consequences of alcohol liberalism,” he added. “Access to alcohol is very widespread in Poland. In many places, especially in large cities, the presence of intoxicated people at night, is not a pleasant sight.”

Between 2018 and 2024, around 180 municipalities in Poland introduced nighttime bans on alcohol sales. Among them was Kraków, Poland’s second-largest city, which subsequently saw police interventions fall by almost half during the first six months the measures were in place.


Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support.

Main image credit: Klub Lewicy (under public domain)

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