Since the beginning of 2026, the President of the Polish competition authority has imposed fines totaling over 2.6 million PLN on eight companies responsible for payment delays exceeding 200 million PLN. The affected companies operate in the pharmaceutical, industrial, logistics, and construction sectors.

In comparison, throughout 2025, the authority issued 29 decisions resulting in over 10 million PLN in fines, with only four companies requesting a review of their cases. The remaining 25 companies accepted the findings and paid the fines, receiving a 20% reduction on the maximum penalty.

In March 2026, the authority initiated proceedings against seven companies for delayed payments, including Bialmed, Grupa PSB Handel, and Roche Polska, which are involved in the pharmaceutical, construction, and automotive sectors. These proceedings are initiated based on analyses conducted by the authority and can stem from notifications from entities suspecting they are victims of payment delays.

Additionally, the authority reached out to 69 companies at the start of 2026, informing them of observed irregularities and potential consequences of continued payment delays. These soft actions aim to improve payment culture among businesses and allow them to change practices without formal proceedings.

The President of the authority emphasized that soft interventions are effective tools in combating payment delays, with about half of the contacted companies improving their payment culture immediately. However, if there is no clear improvement, administrative proceedings will be initiated.

Payment delays can lead to increased debt for businesses, affecting the entire supply chain and financial liquidity. Large companies imposing long payment terms on economically weaker suppliers, especially SMEs, create significant negative consequences for the economy, including inability to meet creditor obligations and increased operational costs.

The current economic slowdown in Europe has exacerbated these issues, but the authority stresses that business ethics and payment culture are also crucial factors in the prevalence of payment delays.

Victims of payment delays can report suspected cases to the authority, which will analyze the claims and monitor the payment culture of the involved entities.