Consumer Help in Poland: UOKiK Helpline, Ombudsmen and ECK
Short answer: For consumer problems in Poland, call the UOKiK helpline on 801 440 220 or 22 266 76 76 (working days 10:00-18:00). Consumer ombudsmen help for free, and the ECK handles cross-border EU disputes.
If a shop will not accept your complaint, a trader ignores a refund or a service goes wrong, Poland has several public bodies that can help. This guide follows the "Pomoc dla konsumentów" (help for consumers) page of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) and the website of the European Consumer Centre Poland (ECK). The UOKiK page is undated, and its footer shows 2024-2026, so check the current contact details before you call.
Start with a phone call or a form
UOKiK says that for a simple matter you can get advice by phone or through an online form. The consumer helpline numbers are 801 440 220 and 22 266 76 76. The call is charged according to your operator's tariff, and the line works on working days from 10:00 to 18:00. There is also a contact form on the dlakonsumentow.pl website.
Consumer ombudsmen for more complex cases
For more complicated problems, UOKiK points to the consumer ombudsmen (rzecznicy konsumentów) and the Trade Inspection (Inspekcja Handlowa). According to UOKiK, consumer ombudsmen help for free. They give legal advice, help write a complaint letter or a court document, and may bring a lawsuit on the consumer's behalf or, with the consumer's consent, join a case that is already in court in matters involving consumer protection.
UOKiK's page has a search tool where you choose the type of problem and find help in your own town. The problem types listed include shopping and services, energy and fuels, telecommunications and postal services, banking services, financial services, insurance, air travel, shopping abroad (EU, UK, Norway and Iceland) and rail travel.
The Trade Inspection and out-of-court settlement
The Trade Inspection is listed for advice, mediation and arbitration courts. If you made a complaint about goods or a service and the trader did not accept it, UOKiK says you can use out-of-court dispute resolution, either through institutions that run such proceedings or through the standing arbitration courts at the voivodeship Trade Inspection offices.
Specialist help by sector
UOKiK lists specialist bodies for particular areas, with the contact details given on its page:
- Insurance and finance: the Financial Ombudsman (Rzecznik Finansowy), phone 22 333 73 26 or 27, e-mail [email protected].
- Rail travel: information on passenger rights from the Office of Rail Transport, phone 22 460 40 80, e-mail [email protected].
- Air travel: the Air Passenger Rights Ombudsman, phone 22 520 72 00, e-mail [email protected].
- Energy and gas: the information point for energy and gas customers at the Energy Regulatory Office, phone 22 244 26 36, e-mail [email protected].
- Telecommunications: the Consumer Information Centre at the Office of Electronic Communications (UKE), phone 22 330 4000.
- EU cross-border disputes: the European Consumer Centre, phone 22 55 60 600, e-mail [email protected].
Problems with a trader from another EU country
If the company is based in another EU country, Norway or Iceland, the ECK website says it offers free help and advice, and that it belongs to the ECC-Net network, which helps consumers out of court in cross-border cases. Two notices on its website are worth knowing. On 20 September 2026 the centre said that complaints and enquiries had almost doubled in two years, so waiting times for a reply were longer, and that it answers in the order received. On 4 October 2026 it warned about a trap involving an address in the Netherlands, where shops show stylish clothes and shoes but deliver very poor products, then fail to respond, reject complaints or ask for the goods to be sent to Asia.
Keeping your own evidence
None of these pages lists what documents to bring, but a complaint is easier to handle if you keep the order confirmation, the receipt or invoice, the advertisement, and any messages with the trader. Write down the dates when you notified the seller. If you are a foreign resident, the UOKiK page does not set any citizenship or residence condition for the helpline, but it also does not address the question, so ask when you call.
* Photos: photos of the UOKiK office, Wikimedia Commons, CC0. Illustrative.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UOKiK consumer helpline number?
UOKiK gives 801 440 220 and 22 266 76 76, charged by operator tariff, on working days from 10:00 to 18:00. There is also an online form at dlakonsumentow.pl.
Is help from a consumer ombudsman free?
Yes, according to UOKiK. Consumer ombudsmen give legal advice, help write complaints or court documents and may bring or join a court case for the consumer.
Who helps if I bought from a shop in another EU country?
The European Consumer Centre Poland (ECK), which says it gives free help in cross-border disputes with companies in the EU, Norway and Iceland. Its phone is 22 55 60 600.
