DETERMINANTS OF ONLINE GROCERY SHOPPING IN POLAND: A SOCIO-ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE

The rapid development of electronic commerce and the growing popularity of digital distribution channels increasingly influence consumer purchasing behaviour, including how grocery products are bought. This article aims to analyse and assess the impact of selected socio-demographic characteristics on consumers’ propensity to purchase groceries online in Poland. The study examines online grocery purchasing behaviour with respect to gender, age, education level, place of residence, and financial situation. Data were collected from November 2024 to January 2025 using an online survey and a non-probability snowball sampling method, and relationships between variables were analysed using Pearson’s chi-square test. The sample comprised 362 valid responses. The results indicate that age and place of residence significantly differentiate consumers’ propensity to shop for groceries online. No statistically significant differences were found with respect to gender, education level, or financial situation, which is consistent with the tendency described in the literature toward a gradual weakening of traditional socio-economic barriers as electronic commerce develops. The findings provide empirical support for the concept of the democratization of digital consumption, whereby access to online channels is becoming increasingly widespread and progressively less dependent on consumers’ socio-economic status.