Poznań is set to introduce a citywide restriction on night-time alcohol sales from the 1st of January 2027, extending rules that currently apply in five residential areas to every neighbourhood in the city.
Under the proposed regulations, shops and other retail outlets will be prohibited from selling alcohol intended for consumption elsewhere between 10:00 pm and 6:00 am, seven days a week.
The measure was approved at a Tuesday session of Poznań City Council. Its introduction would bring an end to the patchwork of local restrictions that has developed across the city since the first night-time sales ban was introduced in 2018.
Bars, restaurants and other hospitality venues serving alcohol for consumption on their premises will not be affected by the new restriction.
Shops across Poznań to follow the same rules
The planned changes will apply to retail sales of alcoholic drinks for consumption away from the point of purchase. This includes supermarkets, convenience stores and other shops selling alcohol.
The restriction will operate every night, from 10:00 pm until 6:00 am. Alcohol sales outside these hours will continue under the existing licensing rules and the conditions attached to individual permits.
Once the citywide rules take effect, separate resolutions covering Stare Miasto, Jeżyce, Wilda, św. Łazarz and Ogrody will cease to apply. These five residential areas are already subject to night-time sales restrictions.
For residents, the change means the same rules will apply whether they live in the city centre or further out in Poznań's residential districts.
Public consultations show strong support
The proposed expansion follows public consultations that were held between 15th April and 31st May 2026. Residents, business owners and other interested parties were invited to share their views on whether the restriction should cover the entire city.
Of those who took part, 1,016 respondents, or 82.94%, supported extending the ban across Poznań. A further 183 respondents, representing 14.94%, opposed the proposal.
The consultation process included online and traditional methods of submitting feedback, with separate questionnaires prepared for residents and business owners. A public consultation meeting was also held, alongside round-table discussions with representatives of the business sector.
The results indicate substantial support among consultation participants for a single set of rules across Poznań, although the figures represent the views of those who responded rather than the entire population.
From Stare Miasto to the whole city
Poznań introduced its first night-time alcohol sales restriction in Stare Miasto in 2018. Similar measures were subsequently adopted in Wilda, św. Łazarz, Jeżyce and Ogrody.
According to the justification accompanying the draft resolution, applying different rules in neighbouring areas could encourage people to travel to districts where shops remained permitted to sell alcohol overnight.
Extending the restriction citywide is intended to remove these differences and establish consistent rules within Poznań's administrative boundaries.
The council's justification also refers to earlier experience in Stare Miasto, where the introduction of restrictions was associated with improvements in residents' quality of life and public safety.
The proposed measure forms part of the city's wider approach to alcohol-related prevention and support for tackling alcohol-related problems.
What happens next?
The resolution is expected to be published in the Official Journal of the Wielkopolska Voivodeship before the new rules take effect on 1st January 2027.
Until then, the existing restrictions in the five designated residential areas remain relevant, while other parts of Poznań continue to operate under the rules currently applicable to them.
For residents, retailers and visitors, the main change will be the introduction of a consistent overnight sales restriction across the entire city. Hospitality venues serving drinks for consumption on-site will remain outside its scope.
The planned start date gives businesses time to prepare for the new arrangements, while residents can expect the same restrictions on late-night shop sales wherever they are in Poznań.
