Press Readership in Poland. The Wealthy Read Ten Times More Often

Press readership levels are directly linked to Poles` financial resources. The "Luxury Loves the Press" report from Polish Readership Research indicates that as income increases, so does the number of press publications read.

• 37% of people with incomes over 5,000 PLN who buy luxury goods read at least ten press titles.
• Another 30% in this group regularly read between four and nine titles.

- "Reading the press is an aspect of cultural capital, which is inherently linked to wealthy individuals or those with incomes over 5,000 PLN," says Waldemar Izdebski, president of Polish Readership Research, to Newseria Biznes. - "While the readership rate for certain press titles may be 6-7% across the country, in this group, it reaches 10-15%."

source: “Luxury Loves the Press,” Polish Readership Research 2017

People with incomes over 5,000 PLN are classified as affluent, with 80% of them purchasing luxury brands. This represents 4.7% of the Polish population aged 18-59, or about 1.05 million people. Additionally, 290,000 Poles earn over 14,000 PLN monthly and are considered wealthy.

• In the affluent group, 45% read the press for at least an hour daily, while in the wealthy group, this figure rises to 54%.
• Over two-thirds of affluent readers choose monthly magazines, compared to 44% of the general Polish population (average issue readership rate).
• A third of those with incomes above 5,000 PLN read daily newspapers, while the national average is 15%.

- "These findings challenge the outdated stereotype of the affluent as nouveau riche,” comments Prof. Dominika Maison from the University of Warsaw, president of Maison & Partners, in a statement to Newseria Biznes. - "The wealthy in Poland are increasingly becoming an elite: well-educated individuals who often achieved their position through knowledge, professionalism, and competence. They travel more frequently than most Poles and are regular readers of both opinion-forming and lifestyle press."


The report from Polish Readership Research also reveals another interesting insight: as wealth increases, television viewership declines, while press readership grows.

source: “Luxury Loves the Press,” Polish Readership Research 2017

Affluent and wealthy readers enjoy a wide range of press titles. Research by PBC disproves stereotypes suggesting that popular press primarily targets low-income groups.

- "The press, regardless of its theme, is aimed at both the middle and upper classes. This includes economic publications, opinion weeklies, exclusive monthlies, as well as more popular titles like computer or automotive magazines," explains Waldemar Izdebski. - "It’s not that the upper class rejects certain titles, but rather they read them less regularly."

What Wealthy Poles Read

Readership of major press titles is several times higher among people with incomes over 5,000 PLN compared to the general Polish population. The most popular newspaper among both men and women is Gazeta Wyborcza, with readership among affluent individuals being three and a half times higher than the overall market reach.

source: “Luxury Loves the Press,” Polish Readership Research 2017

Among weeklies, Newsweek holds the top spot for affluent Poles, slightly ahead of Tele Tydzień. Among affluent women, the ranking is reversed. Weeklies are the only group where the most popular titles among affluent readers have lower readership rates than the general market, particularly among affluent women who read Tele Tydzień, Życie na gorąco, and Chwila dla Ciebie.

source: “Luxury Loves the Press,” Polish Readership Research 2017

In the monthly magazine category, the average readership rate for a single issue among those earning over 5,000 PLN ranges from 8-15%. Men prefer Komputer Świat, National Geographic, and Murator. Among women, the most popular titles are Twój Styl, Skarb, and again, National Geographic.

source: “Luxury Loves the Press,” Polish Readership Research 2017

The precise targeting of readership and press titles can be an effective tool for planning luxury brand campaigns, highlight the authors of the PBC report. Determining a title’s reach is essential.

The full “Luxury Loves the Press” report is available on the PBC website: https://www.pbc.pl