Living conditions of households during Poland’s integration with the European Union

Abstract

Transformations taking place in the Polish economy over the last twenty years, arising from the process of integration with the European Union, have brought about significant changes in the functioning of Polish households. The transition to market oriented economy and its privatization have caused changes in two economic dimensions of social life – in the sphere of labour and the consumption sphere. The integration process has brought some improvement in the living conditions of Polish households. Real income has increased, and, what follows, the consumption of goods and services has also gone up. Moreover, consumer behaviours of households have changed, mainly expressed in defensive and adaptive reactions to the changing economic situation of the country. In spite of positive changes in the living conditions, the integration period is associated by Polish households with sacrifices, the lack of jobs and migration in search for work.

In the article, the author presents changes taking place in the living conditions of households during Poland’s integration with the European Union. In particular, it discusses changes occurring in incomes and expenditure of Polish households, both in nominal and real terms. Trends in the structure of expenditure and in the level and structure of the food products consumption are indicated. The article also shows changes in equipping households with durable goods.