Lidl Polska: PLN 11.2bn for the economy and record exports
Billions for the Polish economy, record-breaking exports and consistent action for sustainable development. New reports reveal the scale of Lidl Polska’s impact
For 24 years, Lidl Polska has been consistently expanding its presence in the Polish market, with the network now comprising more than 1,000 stores. In the 2025 financial year¹, according to Deloitte estimates, Lidl Polska’s operations supported nearly 51,700 jobs and generated more than PLN 11.2 billion in value added to Poland’s GDP. The company’s activities contributed PLN 2.8 billion to household income and generated more than PLN 3.8 billion in taxes, social security contributions and other payments to the public finance sector. During the same period, 386 Polish suppliers exported products worth more than PLN 7.2 billion through the Lidl network to 28 international markets.
According to the report “Lidl Polska’s Contribution to the Development of the Polish Economy in 2025”, the company’s operations had a significant positive impact on the economy. In addition to the day-to-day operations of Lidl stores, this impact was driven by expenditure related to maintaining the network and by employee spending, which continued to circulate throughout the economy.
“Regardless of the scale of our operations, our promise to customers remains our top priority: high quality at an attractive, low price. We are able to deliver on this promise thanks to our people, which is why I would like to thank our team for their commitment every day and our business partners for their trust and cooperation. In 2025, our network’s operations supported nearly 51,700 full-time jobs, generating PLN 2.8 billion in household income, of which more than PLN 1.7 billion came from salaries paid directly by Lidl Polska. We want to grow in a way that benefits people, the economy and the environment. Responsible growth is not an addition to our business – it is the way we do business,” says Włodzimierz Wlaźlak, CEO of Lidl Polska.
More than PLN 11.2 billion in value added – an impact extending beyond retail
The total value added generated by Lidl Polska’s operations amounted to PLN 11.23 billion, of which PLN 6.65 billion was generated directly by the company.
“We build our impact on the Polish economy on several levels – through the expansion of our network and related investments, cooperation with Polish suppliers, meeting the everyday needs of millions of customers, and opening up opportunities for Polish suppliers to sell their products in international markets. In 2025, PLN 20.8 billion in value added was generated indirectly and through induced effects as a result of demand for goods handled by Lidl, acting as a link between consumers and producers. These figures show that the effects of our operations extend far beyond retail itself and contribute to the development of numerous companies and sectors across the Polish economy,” says Michał Nowaczyk, CFO of Lidl Polska.
Record value of Polish product exports
Thanks to Lidl’s presence in 31 countries worldwide, companies working with the network can increase production volumes, expand employment and strengthen their position outside Poland. In 2025, 386 Polish suppliers exported their products through the Lidl network to 28 international markets, with the total value of exports exceeding PLN 7.2 billion. Between 2018 and 2025, the cumulative value of Polish products exported through Lidl exceeded PLN 39 billion.
The most important export markets in 2025 included Romania, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Lithuania, while some of the most popular Polish products included meat and cold cuts, cheeses, frozen foods, as well as laundry and household cleaning products.
Sustainable development – goals and measurable results
Lidl Polska is a socially responsible company that consistently undertakes initiatives addressing issues important to employees, customers, suppliers and local communities, as well as environmental protection, climate action and biodiversity. The latest results of these activities are presented in the report “More Than Shopping. Sustainable Development in 2025”².
Lidl Polska’s CSR strategy is based on five key pillars: climate protection, respect for biodiversity, resource conservation, health promotion and acting fairly. The effectiveness of this approach is reflected in the company’s leading positions in industry rankings, including 1st place in the 2025 ESG Ranking in the Retail category, 1st place in Poland and 2nd place in Europe in the “Superlist Environment Europe 2026” report, as well as the Gold ESG Leaf awarded by Polityka weekly and the title of “Ethical Company” in a competition organised by Puls Biznesu.
By 2030, Lidl aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from Scope 1 and Scope 2 operations internationally by 70% compared with 2019 levels. Since 2022, Lidl Polska has purchased 100% of its electricity from renewable energy sources, and by the end of 2025 photovoltaic installations were operating at 384 stores and five distribution centres.
In 2025, Lidl Polska reduced the use of plastics in private-label packaging by 33%, while the average share of recycled materials in private-label packaging reached 24%. Approximately 95% of the waste generated was recycled, reused, composted or used as animal feed. Reverse vending machines are available in all Lidl Polska stores, and by the end of 2025 customers had returned more than 296 million packages, including both deposit and non-deposit packaging.
Another important area is the promotion of health and conscious nutrition. By 2030, Lidl aims to increase sales of plant-based foods by 20% compared with 2023, while in Poland it intends to increase the share of plant-based protein relative to animal-based protein in its product range to 15% – compared with 10% in 2025. These changes are being implemented in line with the Planetary Health Diet, which Lidl Polska has used to analyse its product range since 2022.
In the area of fair business practices, the company continues to develop standards concerning human rights, responsible supply chains and product safety. Lidl suppliers are required to sign the “Code of Conduct for Business Partners”, which includes provisions addressing, among other issues, the prevention of child labour, forced labour and discrimination, as well as standards relating to remuneration and occupational safety.
For more than five years, Lidl Polska has also cooperated with UN Global Compact Network Poland in the areas of climate, human rights and corporate governance. Under the organisation’s patronage, the Lidl Fair Pay competition is also held for companies that implement remuneration policies based on equal pay for women and men in equivalent positions.
Meanwhile, the strategic partnership with WWF Poland Foundation focuses on protecting biodiversity and water resources. As part of this cooperation, in 2025 Lidl Polska supported WWF’s Blue Patrol, a group of nearly 200 volunteers working to protect the Baltic Sea and its wildlife along the entire Polish coastline. This year, the partners are joining forces to provide special protection for the unique ecosystem of the Błota Rakutowskie wetlands.
The reports are available on our website: