Poland - Trade Promotion and AdvertisingPoland - Trade Promotion

General Legislation 

Laws against misleading advertisements differ widely from member state to member state within the EU. To respond to this imperfection in the internal market, the Commission adopted a directive, in force since October 1986, to establish minimum and objective criteria regarding truth in advertising. The Directive was amended in October 1997 to include comparative advertising.  Under the Directive, misleading advertising is defined as any "advertising which in any way, including its presentation, deceives or is likely to deceive the persons to whom it is addressed or whom it reaches and which, by reason of its deceptive nature, is likely to affect their economic behavior or which for those reasons, injures or is likely to injure a competitor."  Member states can authorize even more extensive protection under their national laws. 

Comparative advertising, subject to certain conditions, is defined as "advertising which explicitly or by implication identifies a competitor or goods or services by a competitor." Member States can, and in some cases, have, restricted misleading or comparative advertising. 

The EU’s Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AMSD) lays down legislation on broadcasting activities allowed within the EU.  Since 2009, the rules allowing for U.S.-style product placement on television and the three-hour/day maximum of advertising have been lifted.  However, a 12-minute/hour maximum remains.  The AMSD is currently under revision. The European Commission is aiming to extend the scope of the Directive to video-sharing platforms which tag and organize the content. The Commission is also aiming to provide more flexibility about the 12-minute/hour maximum restriction. Children’s programming is subject to a code of conduct that includes a limit of junk food advertising to children.  Following the adoption of the 1999 Council Directive on the Sale of Consumer Goods and Associated Guarantees, product specifications, as laid down in advertising, are considered as legally binding on the seller.   

The EU adopted Directive 2005/29/EC concerning fair business practices in a further attempt to tighten consumer protection rules. These rules outlaw several aggressive or deceptive marketing practices such as pyramid schemes, "liquidation sales" when a shop is not closing, and artificially high prices as the basis for discounts in addition to other potentially misleading advertising practices.  Certain rules on advertising to children are also set out. 

Key Links:  

Misleading Advertising  

Unfair Commercial Practices Directive  

Audio video Media Services  

Medicines 

The advertising of medicinal products for human use is regulated by Council Directive 2001/83/EC, as amended by Directive 2004/27/EC.  The advertising of medicinal products is forbidden if market authorization has not yet been granted or if the product in question is a prescription drug.  Mentioning therapeutic indications where self-medication is not suitable is not permitted, nor is the distribution of free samples to the general public. The text of the advertisement should be compatible with the characteristics listed on the product label, and should encourage rational use of the product. The advertising of medicinal products destined for professionals should contain essential characteristics of the product as well as its classification. Inducements to prescribe or supply a particular medicinal product are prohibited and the supply of free samples is restricted. 

Key Link: Health and Medicine 

Nutrition & Health Claims 

On July 1, 2007, a regulation on nutrition and health claims entered into force. Regulation 1924/2006 sets EU-wide conditions for the use of nutrition claims such as “low fat” or “high in vitamin C” and health claims such as “helps lower cholesterol.”  The regulation applies to any food or drink product produced for human consumption that is marketed in the EU.  Only foods that fit a certain nutrient profile (below certain salt, sugar and/or fat levels) are allowed to carry claims.  Nutrition and health claims are only allowed on food labels if they are included in one of the EU’s positive lists.  Food products carrying claims must comply with the provisions of nutritional labeling Directive 90/496/EC and its amended version Directive 1169/2011. 

In December 2012 a list of approved functional health claims went into effect.  The list includes generic claims for substances other than botanicals which will be evaluated later.  Disease risk reduction claims and claims referring to the health and development of children require an authorization on a case-by-case basis, following the submission of a scientific dossier to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).  Health claims based on new scientific data will have to be submitted to EFSA for evaluation but a more simplified authorization procedure has been established. 

The development of nutrient profiles, originally scheduled for January 2009, has been delayed. The original proposal has been withdrawn. In October 2015 the European Commission released a new roadmap on the potential development of nutrient profiles and botanicals. To obtain stakeholders’ inputs, two consultations and an external study was launched in mid-2017. The European Commission is now assessing the opportunity to proceed with a proposal and then potentially draft it. Nutrition claims, in place since 2006, can fail one criterion, i.e. if only one nutrient (salt, sugar or fat) exceeds the limit of the profile, a claim can still be made provided the high level of that particular nutrient is clearly marked on the label.  For example, a yogurt can make a low-fat claim even if it has high sugar content but only if the label clearly states, “high sugar content.”  A European Union Register of nutrition claims has been established and is updated regularly. Health claims cannot fail any criteria. 

Detailed information on the EU’s Nutrition and Health Claims policy can be found on the USEU/FAS website at USEU/FAS website and in the USDA Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards EU 28 2017. 

Key Link: EU Register of Nutrition and Health Claims 

Food Information to Consumers 

In 2015, the EU adopted a new regulation on novel foods (2015/2283) amending the provision of food information to consumers (1169/2011).  Novel foods and food ingredients must not present a danger for the consumer or mislead him and should not differ from the ingredients that they are intended to replace to such an extent that normal consumption would represent a nutritional disadvantage for the consumer. It is important to mention that the European Commission may decide, on its own initiative or upon a request by a Member State, by means of implementing acts (a sort of decree), if a particular food falls within the definition of novel food. More information can be found on the Commission's website. Most provisions of this new Novel Foods Regulation become applicable on January 1, 2018. 

Detailed information on the EU’s new food labeling rules can be found on the USEU/FAS website at EU Labelling Requirements and in the USDA Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards EU 28 2017 

Key link:  Provision on Food Information 

Food Supplements 

Directive 2002/46/EC harmonizes the rules on labeling of food supplements and introduces specific rules on vitamins and minerals in food supplements.  Ingredients other than vitamins and minerals are still regulated by Member States. 

Regulation 1925/2006, applicable as of July 1, 2007, harmonizes rules on the addition of vitamins and minerals to foods. The regulation lists the vitamins and minerals that may be added to foods.  This list was most recently revised in 2014.  A positive list of substances other than vitamins and minerals has not been established yet, although it is being developed.  Until then, member state laws will govern the use of these substances. 

Key Link: Labelling Nutrition Supplements 

Tobacco 

The EU Tobacco Advertising Directive bans tobacco advertising in printed media, radio, and internet as well as the sponsorship of cross-border events or activities.  Advertising in cinemas and on billboards or merchandising is allowed, though these are banned in many Member States. Tobacco advertising on television has been banned in the EU since the early 1990s and is governed by the Audiovisual Media Services Directive.  A 2016 revision to the legislation includes the requirement for bigger, double-sided health pictorial warnings on cigarette packages and possibility for plain packaging along with health warnings, tracking systems. 

Key link: Tobacco Products  

Local Market Specifics  

Trade fair activities in Poland grew rapidly at the beginning of the last decade, from a single major event (the annual June Poznan International Fair) to a full year's schedule of industry and product specific events in major cities around the country.  For information on upcoming trade events please see the information on trade fairs and events in Leading Sectors for U.S. Exports and Investments.  Some fairs are still proving their worth, while others have lost popularity in recent years and are no longer attracting key Polish and international businesses.  Direct U.S. company presence at trade fairs in Poland is minimal, but some U.S. firms exhibit through their European or Polish distributors.  U.S. firms exhibiting in larger Western European trade fairs, particularly those in the Commercial Service’s Showcase Europe program, will encounter Polish buyers at those events.  The U.S. Commercial Service in Warsaw can help you find distributors interested in representing U.S. products at Polish fairs.  

 Advertising in Poland is considered important, not only in the consumer product field, but also in developing a company image for all types of goods. Television, which reaches virtually every home in Poland via local channels or satellite, is believed to be the most effective advertising medium in Poland.  Products advertised through television commercials show the greatest sales growth among all advertised products.  The bulk of advertising revenues go to television.  The price of television spots on top rated shows has grown dramatically in the last few years as demand has soared.  Radio is another means of advertising with 261 local radio stations as well as 6 national networks in operation: Polskie Radio SA Program 1, Polskie Radio SA Program 2, Polskie Radio SA Program 3, Polskie Radio SA Program 4, RMF FM, Radio ZET and TOKFM.  

There is a ban on cigarette and alcohol (including beer and wine) advertising for broadcasters and on alcohol ads for display and print media.  There is also a ban on pharmaceutical advertising, except for over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and in professional publications. 

Print media advertising is sophisticated and the print media market itself has grown to include a full range of publications.  Major newspapers circulate throughout Poland and reach every corner of the country.  In addition, special interest magazines, business journals, niche publications, and specialized newspapers have proliferated. Newsweek Polska, a division of Newsweek, celebrates its 17th anniversary this year (launched in 2001) and the Polish edition of Forbes magazine, which was launched in January 2005, celebrates its 13th anniversary this year.  Classified advertising is very well developed and effective.  Most U.S. companies find print media to be a highly effective means of reaching customers and candidates for jobs.   

Major daily newspapers include Rzeczpospolita, Gazeta Wyborcza,  Nasz Dziennik, and two tabloids: Fakt and Super Express.  Major daily business journals include Dziennik Gazeta Prawna, Parkiet Gazeta Gieldy, Puls Biznesu, and Financial Times.  The Polish edition of BusinessWeek is published on a biweekly basis.  There are also two English language weeklies that cater mainly to foreigners in Poland, the Warsaw Business Journal and the Warsaw Voice.   

Major international, as well as local, advertising and public relations agencies abound in Poland.  For contact information on these journals and firms please contact the U.S. Commercial Service in Warsaw at Office.Warsaw@trade.gov, at telephone number (48) 22 625-4374 or fax number (48) 22 621-6327.