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PMR:
Polish consumers
still enjoy pizza
Author: Zofia Bednarowska, Anna Kleśny
December 2012
PMR: Polish consumers still enjoy pizza
Pizza is still a popular dish with Polish consumers. According to a PMR survey, around
62% of Poles eat pizza at least once a month. It is available from both pizzerias, of
which in Poland there are 3,000, and local diners or restaurants, and is favoured by
young consumers. The less demanding customers may also buy frozen pizzas, while
the biggest fans prepare it at home from scratch.
Pizza favoured by youngest consumers
Around 62% of Poles eat pizza at least once a month. According to a survey of PMR,
ordering pizza in a restaurant, pizzeria or a bar is nearly as popular (33% of Poles) as making
it at home (32%). It is slightly less popular to have pizza delivered (24%), or buy frozen pizza
or pizza base (16%).
All types of pizza included in the survey (delivered, ordered in a restaurant, frozen,
home made) are most popular with the youngest age group: 18-24 year olds.
Among the age groups from 18 to 44, the most popular are eating pizza in a restaurant,
followed by home deliveries. This is probably due to the fast and active lifestyle of these age
groups. In this category the least popular are frozen pizza and pizza bases.
Consumers in the age category over 45 prefer to make their own pizza at home, or
order it at a restaurant, just like the oldest consumer group of over 65s. The latter also do not
like buying frozen pizza, unlike other age groups.
Popularity of different type of pizza’s consumption by age in Poland
74%
55%
49%
43%
38%
37%
31%
22%
Restaurant/bar
18-24
21%
16% 18%
11%
15%
8% 9%
5%
2%
Home delivery
25-34
32% 34% 30%
28% 28%
28%
35-44
0%
Frozen
45-54
Home made
55-64
65 +
Results do not add up to 100%, as the graph presents the answwers to four separate questions (n=600).
Source: PMR 2012
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PMR: Polish consumers still enjoy pizza
Among consumers with higher education, the share of those who order pizza when
eating out or have it delivered home is rising, at the cost of the share of consumers who eat
only frozen and home made pizza. Men buy it in restaurants, frozen or delivered more often
than women, while women are more likely to make pizza at home.
Pizza is eaten in restaurants mainly by consumers with average income (PLN 2,0013,000). Similarly with home delivery, although it is also popular with highest earners (over
PLN 4,000). There is a relation between the lowest income and popularity of frozen and home
made pizza. Of those who eat it in restaurants, as many as 60% also order pizza deliveries.
Phone order pizza still more popular than online
orders
Home deliveries of pizza are ordered by approximately 24% of Poles. They usually have
pizza delivered to their home or workplace once a month (almost half of the respondents), and
many order pizza 2-3 times a month (36%). The biggest fans of delivered pizza are relatively
few – 12% order pizza once a week, and 4% even more often than that.
Frequency of pizza home delivery by Poles ordering pizza
48%
36%
12%
4%
More than once
a week
Once a week
2-3 times a month
Once month
Indications of respondents who declare that they order pizza deliveries (n=148)
Source: PMR 2012
A vast majority of consumers who order pizza do so by phone (96%), while a tiny
percentage use the internet. Poles who regularly order pizza do not bother to look for a phone
number each time; most of them have the number of their favourite pizzeria saved in their
phone (44%).
A considerable number of customers look for phone numbers of pizzerias both on
leaflets (29%), and online (25%). Some ask their friends for phone numbers of their favourite
pizzerias.
Nearly a quarter of consumers know pizzeria
menus by heart
Consumers using home delivery services usually use a leaflet menu (almost 47%).
Many of them look for pizzeria menus on the web (26%), while some declare they even know
them by heart (23%). Only a small group of consumers ask to hear the menu when they call
pizzerias (5%).
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PMR: Polish consumers still enjoy pizza
Most common ways of reaching pizzerias’ menu by Poles ordering pizza
47%
26%
23%
4%
Knowing menu
by heart
Pizzeria leaflet
Internet
Asking to hear
the menu on
the phone when
calling pizzeria
Indications of respondents who declare that they order pizza deliveries (n=148)
Source: PMR 2012
Using the internet to find a pizza menu is more likely if the consumer is a woman from
a younger age group, educated at the secondary or higher level. It is also more popular with
consumers from larger cities and living in one or two person households. In large cities pizzeria
leaflets are not very popular, unlike in smaller towns and villages, where they are preferred by
most consumers. In the countryside and in smaller towns consumers frequently know pizzeria
menus by heart. Using leaflets is more likely in households consisting of many people.
Discount stores are the most popular source of
frozen pizza
Only 16% of respondents buy frozen pizza or pizza bases, 57% of this group usually
buy frozen pizza (or base) once a month, over a quarter do so 2-3 times a month (29%), and a
small percentage – once a week (10%) or more often (4%).
Frequency of buying frozen pizza or pizza base by Poles
57%
29%
4%
More than once
a week
10%
Once a week
2-3 times a month
Once month
Indications of respondents who declare that they order pizza deliveries (n=99)
Source: PMR 2012
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PMR: Polish consumers still enjoy pizza
The most popular practice among consumers who buy frozen pizza is adding some
ingredients at home (as declared by 49% of frozen pizza consumers). 35% of the consumers
buy a ready made pizza, while the smallest group buy the base and then prepare the
ingredients themselves at home (around 15% of frozen pizza consumers).
Poles declare that they usually buy frozen pizza or pizza base in discount stores (close
to 30% of frozen pizza consumers). Supermarkets are slightly less popular (25%), local stores
(21%), or hypermarkets (19%).
Discount store pizzas are consumed mainly by men, educated below the secondary
level, with lowest income, living in small locations. Supermarkets are visited mainly by
women, higher educated, with highest income, living in cities. Local convenience stores are
a source of frozen pizza for people who eat it very often (once a week or more), and for men
more often than women.
Places to buy frozen pizza chosen by Poles
21%
25%
Local grocery store
Hypermarket
30%
Supermarket
19%
5%
Discount
Other
Indications of respondents who declare that they buy frozen pizza (n=99) Indications of respondents who declare
that they buy frozen pizza (n=99)
Source: PMR 2012
Low frozen pizza brand awareness
Unaided awareness of frozen pizza brands is surprisingly low. Of respondents who
buy frozen pizza or pizza base at least once a month, as many as 70% cannot recall any
brands. The most indicated pizza brands belong to Dr Oetker: Guseppe (10%), Rigga (9%) and
Ristorante (7%). Brand names with occasional indications were Bistro (Iglotex), Paradiso and
Carrefour pizza. We did not ask about producer brands, but for some respondents this was
the only way they remembered the products (around 5%). It is worth emphasising that we
asked for spontaneous recognition, which always yields lower results than aided awareness,
when a list of brands is read out to respondents.
To sum up, pizza is a very popular dish, particularly among young people. Nearly a half
of those who consume delivered pizza have the number of their favourite pizzeria saved in
their phone. The offer of pizzerias is more likely to reach consumers through leaflets, although
in large cities it is more popular to look for a pizza menu online. The least popular type of the
dish is frozen pizza. The awareness of frozen pizza brands is also very low. It is usually bought
from grocery discount stores, and improved at home with other ingredients.
The nationwide consumer survey was conducted by PMR in April 2012 on a representative
sample of 600 adult Poles, with a maximum estimation error of 4%.
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