Network Poland
Qualitative market research in Poland
Poland has 38.0 million people and 34.1 million internet users, 89.8 per cent of the population, and only 60.5 per cent of people live in urban areas (DataReportal, Digital 2026). Qualitative research there works when sessions run in Polish, and when the study reaches beyond Warsaw to the regional cities and smaller towns where much of the country lives. MindMarket runs in-depth interviews, focus groups and mystery shopping in Poland with local moderators and one project manager for your whole study, and has sent real car buyers into Polish dealerships for a car brand.
AT A GLANCE
Poland at a glance for researchers
- Population. 38.0 million people, median age 42.5, 60.5 per cent in urban areas (DataReportal, Digital 2026). About four in ten people live outside the cities.
- Languages. Polish, in every session. Younger professionals often speak English, but participants are more exact and more at ease in Polish. Our moderators live in Poland, with translation for your team.
- Internet and mobile. 34.1 million internet users and 53.8 million mobile connections (DataReportal, Digital 2026). Online interviews reach participants in smaller towns without travel.
- Where fieldwork happens. Warsaw first, then Kraków, Wrocław, Poznań or Gdańsk for a regional view. Online sessions bring in people from smaller towns.
- Data protection. The GDPR and the Polish Personal Data Protection Act of 2018: consent before recording, a stated purpose, and data that stays in the EU unless a transfer is covered.
- Timing. The first days of May form a long weekend, 1 November is a family day across the country, and July and August are holiday months. Fieldwork stops from Christmas to the New Year.
IN THE FIELD
How does an interview run in Poland?
In Western Europe, a sample from the capital is often accepted as the country. In Poland, about four in ten people live outside urban areas, and Warsaw is not how most of the country shops.
- Beyond Warsaw. Incomes, prices and retail differ between the capital, the regional cities and smaller towns. We agree with you which of them the decision depends on before recruitment starts.
- In Polish, with a moderator who lives there. English works in a business meeting. In a research session, people describe habits, doubts and money more exactly in Polish, and your team follows with translation.
- Real buyers in the showroom. For a dealership programme, real intenders of the brand's segment visited showrooms twice over six weeks with one checklist: the wait before a greeting, the offer of a test drive, the follow-up within 48 hours.
- Consent before the recording. Participants are told what is recorded, why, and how long it is kept, and they sign before the session starts. The paperwork is kept in order for your legal team.
RECRUITMENT
How do you recruit participants in Poland?
- We recruit through local partners in each city, who find the people your brief describes, in Warsaw, in the regional cities and in smaller towns.
- For mystery shopping we recruit real intenders of the brand's segment, never employees or dealers, and brief every shopper on the same checklist.
- MindMarket pays every participant's incentive itself. You never handle it.
METHODS
Which methods work in Poland?
Most studies in Poland run as in-depth interviews and focus groups, with mystery shopping, shop-alongs or mobile diaries when the question needs them.
| Method | Works well when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| In-depth interviews | Finance, health and B2B audiences, online or in person | Prepare the category; precise questions earn precise answers |
| Focus groups | Concepts, packaging and advertising in Warsaw and one regional city | A capital-only sample; add a second city |
| Mystery shopping | Car showrooms, retail, banks and hospitality | One checklist and one briefing for every city |
| Shop-alongs | Grocery and household purchases, in hypermarkets and discount stores | Store permission for filming |
| Mobile diaries | Daily routines and the first weeks with a new product | Keep tasks short; a photo and a few lines each day |
QUESTIONS
Questions buyers ask about research in Poland
How much does market research cost in Poland?
A full-service qualitative study with MindMarket starts at $40,000 for the first market, and Poland added to a multi-country study starts from $8,000. Each city added beyond Warsaw adds recruitment and moderation, and online sessions reach smaller towns without travel. Every quote is itemised and follows within 48 hours of a first call. Estimate your study.
Do I need a Polish moderator if participants speak English?
Yes. Many younger professionals speak good English, but people are more exact and more candid in Polish, and findings only compare with other markets when each was run in its own language. MindMarket's moderators in Poland live there and work in Polish.
Is Warsaw enough, or should I add other cities?
Warsaw is enough for a first read. For a national decision, add a regional city such as Kraków, Wrocław, Poznań or Gdańsk, and reach smaller towns online, because about four in ten people live outside urban areas.
Can you run mystery shopping in Poland?
Yes. For a car brand, real intenders of its segment visited dealerships in Poland and four other countries twice over six weeks, with one checklist and one briefing, so that a visit in Poland compares with a visit in Germany or France.
When should I avoid fieldwork in Poland?
During the long weekend at the start of May, around 1 November, from Christmas to the New Year, and in July and August, when many families are away. Easter moves each year, so check the dates when you plan.
Can you help us decide, not only run the interviews?
Yes. Beyond the fieldwork, our Customer-Led Strategy work turns what people in Poland told us into a recommendation: what to do, what not to do, and why. We form the hypotheses, test them with your customers and recommend from their words. If you already work with strategy consultants, we work alongside them.
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