A night-time alcohol sales ban across Poland - what the Sejm has passed

On 8 October 2026, the Sejm, the lower house of the Polish parliament, passed an amendment to the Act on Upbringing in Sobriety and Counteracting Alcoholism. The bill was backed by 400 MPs. It now goes to the Senate and to the President. If it comes into force as passed, from 1 January 2027 shops and petrol stations throughout Poland will not sell alcohol between 22:00 and 6:00, and the advertising and promotion of alcoholic drinks, for the first time including beer, will be banned. Restaurants and bars will still serve alcohol on the premises. Restricting availability and banning advertising are two of the five measures that the World Health Organization has recommended in its SAFER initiative since 2018.

In brief

• A nationwide night-time ban on alcohol sales: if the Senate approves the act and the President signs it, from 1 January 2027 shops and petrol stations will not sell alcohol between 22:00 and 6:00. A municipality (gmina, the basic unit of local government in Poland) can extend the ban to cover 21:00-22:00 or 6:00-9:00. Restaurants, bars and airports are exempt.
• A ban on alcohol advertising and promotion: it covers all alcoholic drinks, including beer and alcohol-free beers that refer to alcoholic brands. Sponsorship of sports events remains allowed.
• Data from Kraków: in July 2022, before the night-time ban was introduced, police attended 287 alcohol-related incidents between 0:00 and 5:30, compared with 87 in July 2025.
• People with alcohol dependence and the night-time ban: for someone on a drinking binge, suddenly having no alcohol at night can trigger withdrawal symptoms. Seizures, hallucinations and confusion after stopping alcohol need immediate medical help.

What exactly did the Sejm pass on 8 October 2026?

The Sejm passed an amendment that introduces, throughout Poland, a ban on selling alcohol to take away between 22:00 and 6:00, a total ban on the advertising and promotion of alcoholic drinks, including beer, and higher fees for alcohol sales licences (1, 2, 3). The new rules amend the Act on Upbringing in Sobriety and Counteracting Alcoholism, which has regulated the alcohol trade in Poland since 1982.

Who does the 22:00-6:00 night-time sales ban apply to?

The ban applies to sales of alcohol for consumption off the premises, so it covers sales in shops, including those open around the clock, and at petrol stations. It does not apply to restaurants, bars and pubs that serve alcohol to be drunk on the premises, or to alcohol sales at airports. A municipal council (rada gminy) can pass a resolution extending the ban to 21:00-22:00 or 6:00-9:00, so shops in different towns will stop selling alcohol at different times.

Since 2018, municipalities have been able to introduce a night-time ban on alcohol sales themselves, and some have done so, including Kraków, Gdańsk, Wrocław, Olsztyn and Warsaw, each with different hours. The amendment sets a nationwide minimum: the ban must cover at least 22:00-6:00.

The night-time ban in individual cities

We describe the hours of the ban, the areas covered by the restrictions and local data in more detail in our articles on individual cities:

• Night-time alcohol sales ban in Kraków
• Night-time alcohol sales ban in Warsaw
• Night-time alcohol sales ban in Wrocław
• Night-time alcohol sales ban in Poznań
• Night-time alcohol sales ban in Łódź
• Night-time alcohol sales ban in Katowice

Does the alcohol advertising ban cover beer?

Until now, beer was the only alcoholic drink that could be advertised in Poland, although with restrictions, for example only between 20:00 and 6:00 on television and radio. The amendment bans the advertising and promotion of all alcoholic drinks in Poland, so beer adverts will disappear from television, radio, the internet and billboards. The ban also covers multi-buy offers such as "6+6" and the advertising of alcohol-free beers whose name or appearance refers to an alcoholic counterpart.

The act does not ban sponsorship. Alcohol producers will still be able to sponsor sports events, and their trademarks will still be allowed to appear at events, in sports venues, and on posters and tickets. Breaking the advertising ban is punishable by a fine of PLN 30,000 to PLN 1 million or a restriction of liberty (a non-custodial sentence such as unpaid community work).

What else does the amendment to the Act on Upbringing in Sobriety change?

• Licence fees: the fee for a licence to sell drinks containing up to 18% alcohol will rise from PLN 525 to PLN 1,050, and the fee for a licence to sell drinks containing more than 18% alcohol will rise from PLN 2,100 to PLN 4,200.
• Age checks: a seller who is unsure whether a customer is an adult will have to ask for an identity document. Until now, they could do so but did not have to.
• Warnings on packaging: labels are to warn about the harm of drinking alcohol during pregnancy, driving after drinking and drinking by minors.
• Small containers: alcohol in containers of up to 300 ml may only be sold in glass or metal containers.

When will the night-time ban apply throughout Poland?

According to the text passed, the new rules are to come into force on 1 January 2027. Before that, the Senate must approve the act and the President must sign it.

The Senate has 30 days to take a position. It can approve the act without changes, amend it or reject it. The Sejm then votes again on the Senate's amendments or rejection. The President can sign the act, refer it to the Constitutional Tribunal or veto it. The Sejm can override a presidential veto by a 3/5 majority. Until 31 December 2026, the current rules apply, which means the night-time ban only applies where a municipality has introduced it.

Does a night-time ban on alcohol sales reduce violence?

Data from Kraków and studies from other countries show that after alcohol sales hours are shortened, the number of assaults and police call-outs during the hours of the ban falls. The evidence that shortening sales hours on its own reduces domestic violence is weaker.

What did two years of the night-time ban show in Kraków?

In Kraków, since 1 July 2023, shops and petrol stations have not sold alcohol between 0:00 and 5:30. According to a 2025 statement from Kraków City Hall, police attended alcohol-related incidents during these hours 287 times in July 2022, 170 times in July 2023, 156 times in July 2024 and 87 times in July 2025. Between July 2022 and July 2025, the number of these call-outs fell by almost 70%. From July to December 2024, there were 56.9% fewer night-time police call-outs than in the same months of 2022. In the second year of the ban, the municipal police (straż miejska) intervened 776 times at night, 33.9% less often than in the first year, when there were 1,174 interventions (4).

The city's data compare the period before and after the ban, but they include no comparison with an area where the ban was not introduced, so they cannot show what part of the fall was caused by the ban itself. We write in more detail about Kraków's resolution and its costs in our article on the costs of alcoholism in Kraków.

What does research say about alcohol sales hours?

In 2008, a court in Newcastle, Australia, ordered city-centre pubs to close at 3:00, and later at 3:30, instead of 5:00. Within 18 months, the number of night-time assaults recorded by police there fell by 37% compared with a nearby area without restrictions (5), and the lower number of assaults was maintained in the following years (6). Newcastle restricted pub opening hours, whereas the Polish law concerns shops, so the Australian result cannot be applied directly to Poland.

A 2020 systematic review included 22 studies that compared the period before a change in alcohol sales hours with the period after it. Extending the opening hours of licensed premises usually led to an increase in assaults, injuries and drink-driving. Shortening sales hours in licensed premises and in shops usually led to a fall in assaults and hospital admissions (7).

Does restricting night-time alcohol sales in shops mean less domestic violence?

Research does not give a clear answer. A 2015 review of studies on violence in relationships found that a higher number of shops and venues selling alcohol in a given area was associated with more cases of intimate partner violence. Most of the analysed studies on restricting the hours and days of sale did not show any effect of these changes on domestic violence (8).

For a family living with someone who drinks, a night-time ban will not replace treatment for the person with alcohol dependence or support for their loved ones. We describe how to talk to someone who drinks, and how to protect your family while doing so, in our guide how to deal with an alcoholic.

Why is the alcohol advertising ban mainly about young people?

Reviews of studies indicate that exposure to alcohol advertising increases the likelihood that a young person will start drinking or drink more. The new law also extends the ban to beer, the only alcoholic drink that could previously be advertised in Poland.

The authors of a 2020 review brought together 11 earlier reviews. They assessed the results against nine criteria used in epidemiology to establish whether an observed association reflects a causal relationship. All nine criteria were met, so the authors concluded that exposure to alcohol advertising is one of the causes of drinking among young people (9).

A 2025 meta-analysis included 31 studies and 62,703 participants, most of them aged 11-17. Those who had seen alcohol adverts online and on social media had about 75% higher odds of having drunk alcohol in the past month and about 80% higher odds of getting drunk than those who had not seen such adverts. Among those who had not yet drunk alcohol, exposure to advertising was associated with greater readiness to try it (10). The authors note that studies are needed to establish which comes first: exposure to advertising or drinking. We write about why teenagers turn to alcohol in our article on underage drinking.

Which WHO SAFER measures does the new law introduce?

SAFER is a package of five measures that the World Health Organization has recommended to governments since 28 September 2018 as a way of reducing the health and social harm caused by alcohol (11). The amendment introduces two of them: restricting the availability of alcohol and banning advertising.

According to the WHO, alcohol contributes to more than 3 million deaths worldwide every year (11). The five SAFER measures are:

• S - strengthen restrictions on alcohol availability, for example by limiting the hours and places of sale. The amendment introduces a nationwide night-time sales ban.
• A - advance drink-driving countermeasures and enforce the law against drivers.
• F - facilitate access to screening, brief interventions and treatment for people who drink harmfully or are dependent.
• E - enforce bans or comprehensive restrictions on alcohol advertising, sponsorship and promotion. The amendment bans advertising and promotion, but not sponsorship.
• R - raise prices on alcohol through excise taxes and pricing policies.

What does the night-time ban change for someone with alcohol dependence?

The night-time ban will make it harder for someone with alcohol dependence to buy alcohol after 22:00, but it does not treat alcohol dependence. For someone on a drinking binge, suddenly having no alcohol can trigger withdrawal symptoms that need a medical assessment.

A person on a drinking binge drinks to avoid withdrawal symptoms such as shaking hands, anxiety, sweating, insomnia, nausea and vomiting. If they cannot buy more alcohol at night, the result is a sudden, unplanned withdrawal from alcohol without medical care. In some people, withdrawal syndrome is severe, with seizures, hallucinations, confusion or alcohol withdrawal delirium (delirium tremens). We write more about the course of the first days without alcohol in our article on alcohol withdrawal and withdrawal syndrome.

When do alcohol withdrawal symptoms need urgent help?

Seizures, hallucinations, confusion and impaired consciousness after stopping alcohol need immediate medical help, without waiting for a clinic appointment. Someone who has had seizures or alcohol withdrawal delirium after stopping alcohol in the past should not stop drinking on their own at home. For them, a binge should be ended under the supervision of medical staff, as part of an alcohol detox.

How can you start treatment for alcohol dependence before 2027?

Making sure you have a supply of alcohol for the night and the morning, and drinking to ease shaking hands, may be signs of dependence. It is a good idea to discuss these symptoms with a doctor before the night-time ban comes into force. Treatment for alcohol dependence usually starts with stopping drinking safely and then includes addiction therapy and, if the doctor considers it appropriate, medicines that reduce alcohol cravings or an Esperal implant. We describe the available forms of treatment on our alcoholism treatment page.

Frequently asked questions

Will I be able to buy alcohol at a petrol station after 22:00?

No. From 1 January 2027, if the act comes into force as passed, petrol stations and shops, including those open around the clock, will not sell alcohol between 22:00 and 6:00. In municipalities that extend the ban, sales will end as early as 21:00 or will not start until 9:00.

Does the night-time sales ban apply to restaurants and bars?

No. Restaurants, bars and pubs will still be able to serve alcohol for drinking on the premises after 22:00. The ban covers sales of alcohol to take away.

Can a municipality ban alcohol sales for longer than 22:00-6:00?

Yes. A municipal council can pass a resolution extending the night-time sales ban to 21:00-22:00 or 6:00-9:00. Throughout Poland, the ban will apply at least between 22:00 and 6:00.

Will alcohol-free beer adverts also disappear?

The ban covers the advertising of alcohol-free beers whose name or appearance refers to an alcoholic counterpart of the same brand. Producers will still be able to sponsor sports events.

Is the night-time ban already in force?

The night-time ban on alcohol sales does not yet apply nationwide. Until 31 December 2026, a night-time ban on alcohol sales applies only in municipalities that have introduced it themselves, such as Kraków, Warsaw or Wrocław, during the hours set by the municipal council.

Sources

1. Rynek Zdrowia, "Nocna prohibicja i całkowity zakaz reklamy. Sejm zdecydował ws. ustawy antyalkoholowej" [Night-time prohibition and a total advertising ban: the Sejm decides on the anti-alcohol bill] (8 October 2026).
2. Polsat News, "Nocna prohibicja w całym kraju. Jest decyzja Sejmu" [Nationwide night-time prohibition: the Sejm has decided] (8 October 2026).
3. Rzeczpospolita, "Nocna prohibicja i zakaz reklamy alkoholu. Sejm przyjął ustawę" [Night-time prohibition and an alcohol advertising ban: the Sejm has passed the act] (8 October 2026).
4. Kraków City Hall (Urząd Miasta Krakowa), statement "Po dwóch latach nocny zakaz sprzedaży alkoholu daje pozytywne efekty" [After two years, the night-time alcohol sales ban is having positive effects] (2025).
5. Kypri K, Jones C, McElduff P, Barker D. Effects of restricting pub closing times on night-time assaults in an Australian city. Addiction. 2011;106(2):303-310. PMID 20840191, DOI
6. Kypri K, McElduff P, Miller P. Restrictions in pub closing times and lockouts in Newcastle, Australia five years on. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2014;33(3):323-326. PMID 24589092, DOI
7. Nepal S, Kypri K, Tekelab T et al. Effects of extensions and restrictions in alcohol trading hours on the incidence of assault and unintentional injury: systematic review. J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2020;81(1):5-23. PMID 32048597
8. Kearns MC, Reidy DE, Valle LA. The role of alcohol policies in preventing intimate partner violence: a review of the literature. J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2015;76(1):21-30. PMID 25486390
9. Sargent JD, Babor TF. The relationship between exposure to alcohol marketing and underage drinking is causal. J Stud Alcohol Drugs Suppl. 2020;(19):113-124. PMID 32079567, DOI
10. Donaldson SI, Russell AM, La Capria K et al. Association between exposure to digital alcohol marketing and alcohol use: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Public Health. 2025;10(11):e912-e922. PMID 41162126, DOI
11. WHO, "WHO launches SAFER alcohol control initiative to prevent and reduce alcohol-related death and disability" (28 September 2018).

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This article is for information only and does not replace medical or legal advice. The description of the rules refers to the act passed by the Sejm on 8 October 2026. The final wording of the rules depends on the Senate and the President.