Poland: businesses emerge from pandemic recession

Introduction

Trade credit is popular among businesses in Poland. Nearly half of all B2B sales were transacted using credit this year (49%, compared to 55% last year). Businesses surveyed in Poland reported favouring trade credit as way of providing short-term finance to their B2B customers. When applications for credit are refused, this is usually due to a perceived decline in customer creditworthiness. Interestingly amid some predictions of growth,  many businesses still expect to see an increase in poor payments behaviour and even insolvencies, caused largely by ongoing effects of the pandemic. Within this context there appears to be an increased appetite for trade credit insurance.

Key takeaways from the report

• Businesses surveyed across Poland told us that approximately 40% of the total value of their B2B sales is currently overdue. This is down from year’s 44%, although a sizeable number of businesses surveyed told us they had to wait longer than last year to cash in overdue payments.
• 6% of the total value of B2B invoices is more than 90 days overdue and the same percentage was written off as uncollectable. Both remained unchanged year-on-year.
• Although many businesses were able to contain DSO (Days Sales Outstanding) over the past year, this tended to be patchy, as many businesses told us they have struggled to contain deteriorating levels of DSO.
• Rising credit management and debt collection costs is something that an increasing number of businesses in Poland have struggled with in recent times.
• Looking into 2022, businesses surveyed across Poland still expect to see an increase in late payments and even insolvencies, caused largely by ongoing effects of the pandemic. Within this context there appears to be an increased appetite for trade credit insurance.
• When asked whether the pandemic had permanently influenced business operations, 58% of the respondents told us they have permanently adopted home working

Interested in getting to know more?

The Payment Practices Barometer report for Poland gives insights into B2B payment practices and businesses' approach to the management of customer credit risk in the following local industries:

• Agri-food
• Chemicals
• Consumer durables

For a complete overview, please download the full country report available in the Related documents section below. The Statistical Appendix and regional Payment Practices Barometer survey results are also available free to download.

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