• Do you think you are buying Polish tomatoes, but in reality they come from another country? Incorrect labelling of the country of origin is misleading and violates your rights as a consumer.
• The President of UOKiK ordered extensive inspections by the Trade Inspection Authority and issued decisions imposing fines amounting to millions of zlotys.
• Effects? The scale of irregularities in shops is now negligible, and consumers now have reliable information about the country of origin of products.

After UOKiK began receiving consumer complaints about errors in the country-of-origin labelling of fruit and vegetables, the President of UOKiK decided to check how shops were providing this information. In 2020, he initiated proceedings against Jeronimo Martins Polska (JMP), the owner of Biedronka stores, and Kaufland Polska Markety. Inspections by the Trade Inspection Authority confirmed that customers of these chains were being misled. The information on the shelf labels differed from that provided on the packaging or in the delivery documents. Irregularities were found in 27.8% of Biedronka shops and 38% of Kaufland shops inspected by the Trade Inspection Authority.

The proceedings resulted in two decisions in 2021 concerning the incorrect labelling of the country of origin of fruit and vegetables. The President of UOKiK imposed a fine of over PLN 60 million on Jeronimo Martins Polska (JMP) and a fine of PLN 13.2 million on Kaufland Polska Markety. The courts confirmed the validity of the decisions of the President of UOKiK. The decision concerning JMP is final, and the company has paid the fine to the state budget. In the case of Kaufland Polska Markety, the case is currently being considered by the court of appeal.

In the third and fourth quarters of 2025, Trade Inspection Authority employees revisited the stores of these chains to verify whether the labelling errors still existed. The good news for consumers is that the number of irregularities found is negligible.

– Accurate and truthful product information is one of the most important consumer rights. Our investigations confirmed that customers of Biedronka and Kaufland stores did not have clear information about the origin of fruit and vegetables. A different country was indicated on the shelf label and a different one on the packaging. The actions of UOKiK and the inspections carried out by the Trade Inspection Authority have resulted in the fact that, in most cases, the shelf labels in shops now correctly indicate the country of origin of fruit and vegetables. For many people, it is important to support Polish suppliers and choose Polish products, which is why shops should not mislead consumers, says Tomasz Chróstny, President of UOKiK.

The financial penalties imposed by the President of UOKiK in his decisions serve as a disciplinary measure for businesses that have violated the collective interests of consumers. They also serve an informational and educational role for other market participants, warning them against violating the law. Thanks to them, shop owners were able to learn how to properly inform customers about the country of origin of fruit and vegetables. As a result of these measures, the labelling of fruit and vegetables with their country of origin has improved significantly.

Shops under scrutiny by the Trade Inspection Authority

In 2019, the Trade Inspection Authority, at the request of the President of UOKiK, began inspecting country-of-origin labelling in response to numerous consumer complaints. In July 2019, Trade Inspection Authority employees inspected 96 outlets belonging to the following chains: Aldi, Auchan, Biedronka, Carrefour, Dino, Delikatesy Centrum, E. Leclerc, Frapo Dystrybucja, Hipermarket Bi1, Intermarché, Kaufland, Lewiatan, Lidl, Netto, Polo Market, Stokrotka, Społem PSS, and Tesco. Irregularities were found in almost one-third of the outlets inspected (32.3%). Inspectors assessed 1,162 batches of fruit and vegetables, finding irregularities in 118 (10.2%).

Inspections were also carried out in 2020. In the first half of the year, Trade Inspection Authority employees visited 395 outlets, including 356 belonging to retail chains. Irregularities were found in 140 establishments, i.e. over 35%. Inspectors checked 3,527 batches of fresh fruit and vegetables, finding irregularities in 358 (10.2%) due to missing or incorrect information about the country of origin.

Jeronimo Martins Polska – details of the Trade Inspection Authority inspection

The Trade Inspection Authority inspections, which provided the basis for the President of UOKiK to initiate proceedings, took place in the fourth quarter of 2019, the first and second quarters of 2020, and in February 2021. Trade Inspection Authority employees inspected a total of 263 Biedronka stores throughout the country. Irregularities were found in nearly 30% of the outlets inspected. In some cases, the irregularities in these stores affected more than 20% of the product batches checked. The President of UOKiK issued a decision stating that the owner of the Biedronka chain had misled consumers as to the country of origin of fruit and vegetables. He imposed a fine of over PLN 60 million.

Incorrect labelling of the country of origin of fruit and vegetables – batch-level inspection by the Trade Inspection Authority]

In the third and fourth quarters of 2025, after UOKiK’s decision became final, the Trade Inspection Authority rechecked the country-of-origin labelling of fruit and vegetables: irregularities now affected less than 1 per cent (from 0.23 per cent to 0.73 per cent) of the batches inspected.

Kaufland Polska Supermarkets – details of the Trade Inspection Authority inspection

The Trade Inspection Authority’s inspections lasted from January 2020 to June 2021 and covered Kaufland stores throughout Poland (30 per cent of all stores in this chain in the country). Irregularities were found in 38% of the stores inspected (27 Kaufland stores out of 71 inspected). A total of 215 batches were inspected. The inspectors identified irregularities in 24.7% of them. In the second quarter of 2021, the Trade Inspection Authority visited 32 Kaufland stores to check whether the irregularities still existed – in 43.7% of them, the country of origin was incorrectly stated. The President of UOKiK issued a decision stating that Kaufland Polska Markety had been misleading customers and imposed a fine of PLN 13.2 million.

In the third and fourth quarters of 2025, Trade Inspection Authority employees re-checked whether the irregularities still existed. Irregularities were found in 1.5% of the batches inspected.

What’s next?

Consumers, if you continue to see irregularities in labelling, report them to the Main Inspectorate of Agricultural and Food Quality. This institution, which reports to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, currently controls the quality and labelling of products in shops, having taken over these tasks from the Trade Inspection Authority.

From 17 February 2026, fruit and vegetables in shops must be marked with the flag of their country of origin, according to a regulation issued by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. This is another step towards providing consumers with reliable and transparent information.