The Sejm has passed a law introducing a ban on the night sale of alcohol between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM in shops and gas stations across Poland. The new regulations are set to take effect on January 1, 2027. The change applies only to off-premises sales, meaning alcohol cannot be purchased in supermarkets or local 24-hour convenience stores.
Rules of the night prohibition and new municipal powers
The amendment to the Act on Upbringing in Sobriety and Counteracting Alcoholism and the Act on Healthcare Services Financed from Public Funds (document no. 2856) does not include catering establishments. Those wishing to drink at night can legally do so in bars, restaurants, pubs, hotels, or at airports. However, off-premises alcohol purchases will disappear from gas stations.
The statutory framework of 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM is a minimum. Deputies have granted local governments the right to tighten these rules in their jurisdictions. Municipal councils have gained the ability to extend the off-premises prohibition to include the hours of 9:00 PM–10:00 PM and 6:00 AM–9:00 AM.
Deputy Minister of Health Katarzyna Kęcka explained in parliament that the goal of the regulation is to standardize sales hours nationwide while maintaining flexibility for local authorities. Nighttime sales bans have already been introduced in cities including Krakow, Warsaw, Wroclaw, Gdansk, and Tarnow. MP Joanna Wicha argued from the podium that municipalities with night prohibitions have seen a decrease in crime and police interventions.
Voting process in the Sejm and further legislative path
The vote took place on October 8 during the 66th session of the Sejm. 400 deputies voted in favor of the regulation, 29 voted against, and 4 abstained.
The bill was introduced by The Left and co-authored by MP Joanna Wicha. The text was considered alongside a proposal from the Polska 2050 party. The Sejm Health Committee selected The Left's project as the lead. 37 amendments were submitted, some of which were supported by the chamber during Thursday's voting block.
Work on the bill stalled in mid-September due to opposition from the PSL. The party argued that a broad definition of the advertising ban would destroy local wineries. PSL leader Krzysztof Paszyk warned at the time that the project in its original form would harm regional businesses. However, the committee's report was eventually put to a vote before the entire House. The finalized law will now head to the President for signature.
Advertising ban, higher fees, and new sales requirements
The law introduces a total ban on the promotion and advertising of all alcoholic beverages, eliminating previous exceptions for beer. Violating this ban is punishable by a fine ranging from 30,000 PLN to 1 million PLN or a penalty of restriction of liberty. Deputy Minister Kęcka indicated that this marks the definitive end of "6+6" style discount campaigns. Sponsorship rules remain intact, allowing producers to continue placing logos on posters or tickets for sports and cultural events.
Amendments submitted by MP Jacek Tomczak (PSL) liberalized regulations for domestic winemakers. The Sejm excluded informational-cultural messages and eno-culinary events—such as festivals, fairs, and grape harvests—from the definition of promotion. Organizers may conduct paid or free tastings provided they include a warning about the harmful effects of alcohol. An amendment by the PSL was also adopted allowing the sale of wine online, but only with personal pickup at a stationary point after verifying the buyer's identity and age. The House also supported a motion by Polska 2050 that maintains the validity of existing permits for games of chance used for alcohol advertising.
Sellers will now have an absolute obligation to verify a customer's age if there is any doubt regarding their adulthood. Previously, they only had the right to do so. If the buyer does not present an ID, the cashier must refuse to sell the goods. The new law also targets packaging with a capacity of up to 300 ml. These can only be manufactured from glass or metal, with mandatory warnings against drunk driving and the harmful effects of drinking during pregnancy and before the age of 18.
Costs for entrepreneurs will also rise. The fee for an alcohol sales permit for beverages up to 18% ABV will jump from 525 PLN to 1050 PLN. For alcohol above 18% ABV, the rate will increase from 2100 PLN to 4200 PLN.
Sources
- Polsat News: Nocna prohibicja w całym kraju. Jest decyzja Sejmu
- RMF24: Sejm uchwalił ustawę o nocnej prohibicji w całym kraju. To nie wszystko
- Gazeta.pl: Głosowanie ws. ustawy o wychowaniu w trzeźwości i przeciwdziałaniu alkoholizmowi. Zmiany przyjęte przez Sejm
- Business Insider Polska: Sejm uchwalił. Zakaz nocnej sprzedaży alkoholu w całej Polsce
- Interia Fakty: Nocna prohibicja w Polsce. Sejm zdecydował
Article prepared with the help of artificial intelligence based on: Polsat News, RMF24, Gazeta.pl, Business Insider Polska, Interia Fakty. Facts checked automatically against these sources. The Wiadomości PRO newsroom is responsible for this publication.
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