2. Objectives

The transition towards market economy in Poland triggered far-reaching consequences for various spheres of the country's social, economic and political life including changes in consumption patterns and behaviours of Polish consumers who found the switch from an economy of shortage to market regime a truly traumatic experience. The emergence of market economy in Poland with its infrastructure, persuasive pressure of mass advertising and the expansion of materialistic sets of values has created fertile ground for the development of consumerism. After decades of living in shortage economy environment Polish consumers have plunged with enthusiasm into magic, colorful world of consumption. The basic objective of the paper will be description and analysis of the consumption patterns and consumer behaviour of Polish consumers and households during almost twenty year transition period towards market-driven economic system. Another important objective will be confrontation of the consumption patterns and consumer behaviour of Poles with the idea and principles of sustainable consumption observed in highly developed western countries and promoted by EU agencies and international institutions.

3. Data/Methods

3.1. Author's own empirical studies and questionnaire research conducted among Polish consumers in Warsaw.

3.2. Analysis of available statistical data referring to the subject.

3.3. Reports of research institutions, government agencies and findings of other empirical studies on the subject.

4. Results/Expected results

The intention of the author is to determine if - and to what extent - consumption patterns and consumer behaviour of Poles under new, market-driven economic regime are compatible with the principles of sustainable consumption. Author's "intelligent guess'' and research intuition is that there is a discrepancy between real-life consumption patterns, lifestyles, shopping habits and behaviour schemes of Polish consumers and "sustainable" consumption patterns. The expected results should identify areas of convergence and divergence, thus providing empirical background for he design of proper policies and education campaigns.