INSTITUTIONAL CHANGES IN POLAND’S RETAIL SECTOR OVER THE LAST DECADE (2015-24)

Purpose: The aim of the paper is an attempt to analyse the institutional changes in retailing in Poland over the last decade, when the retail sector had to face adverse circumstances, including covid-19 pandemic and the outbreak of the first full-scale armed conflict in Europe for decades - and the consequences of these events in the form of an energy crisis, disruptions to supply chains as well as a significant inflationary surge. Design/methodology/approach: The study is based on the analysis of scientific sources, and secondary data on the structural and economic indicators characterising retail sector in Poland over examined period, provided by Euromonitor International database. Findings: Although the last decade has been a period in which Polish retail sector had got its most turbulent changes over with, the industry remained highly dynamic and undergoing significant transformations. Intensive development of e-retail, including the hybrid use of off- and online channels, has been observed, as well as significant re-evaluations of the market shares of individual sales formats. The role of discount shops, which also represent the market segment with the most intense competition, has increased significantly during the analysed period. An intensive development of the convenience format should also be noted, taking over the shares of small independent grocery shops, which have almost completely disappeared from the market. The growth in importance of discounters and convenience stores is accompanied by a relative weakening of the position of hypermarkets, currently entering a period of later market maturity and looking for innovations to restore their competitiveness. At the same time specialised shops - apart from the format of industrial supermarkets and drugstores and pharmacies - are encountering stagnation or regression, due to intensified competition from online channels in the non-food sector. Research limitations/implications: Institutional transformations and the evolution of retailing is indubitably a field meriting further research, with efforts to scientifically describe and analyse the trends and revaluations observed in this domain. Originality/value: (mandatory) The paper identifies and analyses the up-to-date indicators characterising the alterations in the institutional structure of Polish retail sector, giving better understanding of its evolution over the last decade.