Shortly after 10 p.m., somewhere in a small Polish town. Friends are sitting together; the mood is good, but they’re running low on beer. No problem—the supermarket is still open, and so is the gas station. That’s set to change starting in January 2027.
Closed After 10 p.m.
Between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., the sale of alcohol for takeout is to be banned nationwide. Municipalities will be allowed to extend the ban: in the evening starting at 9 p.m. and in the morning until 9 a.m. The key phrase here is “for takeout”: restaurants and bars will still be allowed to serve alcohol on the premises.
The Sejm, Poland’s lower house of parliament, passed the package on the evening of October 8: 400 members voted in favor, 29 against, and four abstained. Most of the provisions are set to take effect as early as January 1, 2027. The changes will amend the “Law on Education for Sobriety and the Fight Against Alcoholism” from 1982.
The amendment has not yet taken effect. The Senate has 30 days to review it. Afterward, President Karol Nawrocki will decide whether to sign it, veto it, or refer it to the Constitutional Court.
Positive Results in Many Places
The idea is not new. Over 200 municipalities already have their own nighttime sales bans, including Warsaw and Kraków. According to its own figures, Kraków saw a 48.5 percent decrease in alcohol-related police calls in the first full year; in the second year, the number dropped by 61.8 percent. And the public overwhelmingly supports the nighttime sales ban. In an IBRiS poll conducted in June, 55 percent were in favor; in an IBP poll conducted in October, 67 percent were in favor.
If Nawrocki signs the bill, the group in the small town will have to plan better starting in January 2027. Or just head straight to a bar. For some pubs, brewpubs, or restaurants, the amendment might even be a boon. Na zdrowie!
Text: Birgit Rieber
Visual: wegro communications
Sources: Notes from Poland, RMF24, inside.beer
