Poland is becoming a major force in production and export of a number of different goods, many of which could be described as luxury so may be influenced by the world economy.
Already, Poland has become well-known for the quality of its Christmas Tree baubles and having knocked the cheaper Chinese export market is already the third largest exporter of baubles in Europe (after Netherlands and Germany) and fifth in the world.
Information quoted by Polish daily Rzeczpospolita and taken from the International Trade Center, shows that Poland ranked fourth in Europe for toy production value in 2024, with exports reaching €2.6 billion.
Polish made toys are popular but sales are dropping
This is another area where disposable income plays a big role and the 2024 figures show a disappointing drop in value of 12 per cent compared to 2023 and this compares to a reported global reduction in toy and game sales of 5 per cent for the same period.
Interestingly, exports to China (up an impressive 392 per cent although only €26 million) and the USA are up (13 per cent to €78 million) but much for the future will depend on how high the tariffs which President Trump keeps on threatening to introduce will be and whether Poland will play ‘tit for tat’.
Polish made toys are popular especially in Europe
Europe however is the main market for Polish toys and games with Germany, Czech Republic and France being the biggest importer.
“Despite the moderate export decline, Poland’s toy sector has maintained stability and a strong foreign market presence,” Radosław Jarema, director of the Polish branch of online broker and currency centre Akcenta, told Rzeczpospolita.
One of the long term problems that manufacturers of toys and games face is the fact that the age limit for children interested in physical toys in particular continues to drop as computer games and apps become ever more popular with children who have access to mobile phones and tablets at an increasingly younger age.
