{
  "reviewed_on": "2026-10-22",
  "regional_population": {
    "period": "2026-01-01",
    "unit": "thousand people",
    "countries": {
      "Bulgaria": "6423.2",
      "Czechia": "10915.8",
      "Estonia": "1360.7",
      "Croatia": "3876",
      "Latvia": "1845.1",
      "Lithuania": "2887.6",
      "Hungary": "9488.4",
      "Poland": "36332.8",
      "Romania": "19041.3",
      "Slovenia": "2135.1",
      "Slovakia": "5409.4"
    },
    "sum_million": "99.7154",
    "display_million": "99.7",
    "source": "https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/images/c/c6/Population_change_statistics_YB2025_VERSION_6.xlsx",
    "table": "Table 1, column J; Romania provisional. Includes Poland. Derived sum of published country figures.",
    "scope_note": "Statistical benchmark for the listed 11 EU CEE markets only. Serbia and Greece are additional markets to assess in the commercial scope and are excluded from this population total."
  },
  "poland_population": {
    "value_million": 37.243,
    "period": "2026-06-30",
    "source": "https://stat.gov.pl/download/gfx/portalinformacyjny/pl/defaultaktualnosci/5468/6/41/1/ludnosc._stan_i_struktura_vi2026.pdf",
    "location": "pp. 10–11; national population definition, differs from Eurostat usual-resident population."
  },
  "pharmacy_total": {
    "value_pln_bn": 47.227,
    "growth_yoy_pct": 5.0,
    "period": "2026-01 to 2026-09",
    "source": "https://pexps.pl/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/PEX_Raport_Miesieczny_Wrzesien-2026.pdf",
    "location": "p. 2; total retail sell-out includes prescription sales."
  },
  "pharmacy_selfcare": {
    "value_pln_bn": 18.085,
    "growth_yoy_pct": -1.0,
    "period": "2026-01 to 2026-09",
    "source": "https://pexps.pl/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/PEX_Raport_Miesieczny_Wrzesien-2026.pdf",
    "location": "p. 2; PEX over-the-counter sales, not all-channel CHC or supplements-only TAM."
  },
  "pharmacies": {
    "value": 12102,
    "period": "2026-09",
    "source": "https://pexps.pl/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/PEX_Raport_Miesieczny_Wrzesien-2026.pdf",
    "location": "p. 4; PEX open-pharmacy analysis, not the former GUS community-pharmacy/outlet split."
  },
  "fmcg": {
    "value_pln_bn": 140.2,
    "volume_yoy_pct": -3.7,
    "period": "2026-H1",
    "source": "https://yougov.com/articles/55644-polish-fmcg-in-h1-2026-less-volume-more-deliberate-choices-yougov-shopper",
    "published": "2026-10-09",
    "coverage": "YouGov Shopper Poland, household FMCG purchases; panel 8,000 households."
  },
  "protein": {
    "value_growth_yoy_pct": 21.1,
    "household_penetration_pct": 71.1,
    "period": "2026-H1",
    "source": "https://yougov.com/articles/55644-polish-fmcg-in-h1-2026-less-volume-more-deliberate-choices-yougov-shopper",
    "coverage": "Products communicating protein or high-protein content; not all supplements or longevity."
  },
  "vms": {
    "growth": "nearly 7%",
    "period": "12 months ending March 2026",
    "geography": "Europe",
    "source": "https://www.iqvia.com/blogs/2026/08/consumer-healths-future-is-not-about-treatment",
    "published": "2026-08-10"
  },
  "discount": {
    "value_share": "more than 45%",
    "geography": "Poland",
    "source": "https://nielseniq.com/global/en/insights/analysis/2026/the-return-of-consumer-choice-in-eastern-europe/",
    "published": "2026-09-22",
    "period": "Observation window not specified in public article."
  },
  "cosmetics": {
    "value_eur_bn": 6.4,
    "growth_pl_pct": 9.3,
    "growth_eu_pct": 4.8,
    "growth_multiple": "1.9375",
    "period": "2025 full year",
    "report_published": "2026-09-09",
    "source": "https://wise-europa.eu/2026/09/09/kosmetyczna-polska-3/",
    "size_source": "https://kosmetyczni.pl/baza-wiedzy/"
  },
  "additional_markets_to_assess": {
    "Serbia": {
      "eu_status": "non-EU candidate country",
      "pathway": "Separate non-EU country assessment; no existing distribution mandate implied.",
      "source": "https://enlargement.ec.europa.eu/countries/serbia_en"
    },
    "Greece": {
      "eu_status": "EU member state",
      "pathway": "EU market with country-specific product and channel assessment; no existing distribution mandate implied.",
      "source": "https://european-union.europa.eu/principles-countries-history/eu-countries/greece_en"
    }
  }
}