Inflation basket — how GUS measures inflation in Poland

What is the inflation basket?

The inflation basket is a set of goods and services whose prices the Central Statistical Office (GUS) tracks regularly to calculate the consumer price index (CPI). It's the basis for knowing official inflation in Poland.

What's in the basket?

The GUS basket includes approximately 1,700 representatives — specific products and services grouped into 12 main categories:

1. Food and non-alcoholic beverages (~25% weight)
2. Housing, water, energy (~20%)
3. Transport (~10%)
4. Recreation and culture (~6%)
5. Restaurants and hotels (~6%)
6. Clothing and footwear (~4%)
7. Health (~5%)
8. Communication (~4%)
9. Education (~1%)
10. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco (~6%)
11. Home furnishings (~5%)
12. Other goods and services (~8%)

How does GUS determine weights?

The weights of individual categories are based on household budget surveys — a survey where thousands of Polish families report their expenditures. GUS updates weights annually.

This means the basket reflects average Polish expenditures — but not your personal ones. If you spend 40% of budget on housing (while GUS assumes 20%), your "personal inflation" may be higher than official.

How are prices collected?

• GUS collects prices at approximately 35,000 points of sale throughout Poland
• Prices are checked monthly (some weekly)
• Regular, promotional and seasonal prices are included
• In recent years GUS also uses scanner data from cash registers

Criticism of the inflation basket

The GUS basket is sometimes criticized:

• Doesn't reflect personal inflation — everyone spends differently
• Substitution effect — when bread becomes expensive, people buy cheaper, but the basket doesn't catch this immediately
• Product quality — the same product may be better but more expensive (is this inflation?)
• Lack of real estate — basket measures rents, not housing prices

How Freenance can help

Freenance allows calculating your personal inflation — based on real expenditures, not GUS averages. You see how your cost of living changes year to year.

👉 Discover your personal inflation with Freenance — freenance.io