Poland's PKO BP fined over loan terms, consumer watchdog says (updated)

Powszechna Kasa Oszczednosci Bank Polski SA

26/01/2026 09:49

Updates with comment from PKO BP in paragraphs 6 and 7

GDANSK, Poland, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Poland's largest lender PKO BP PKO.WA has been fined more than 79 million zlotys ($22 million) for using prohibited clauses in consumer loan agreements, competition and consumer protection office UOKiK said on Monday.

The clauses allowed the bank to unilaterally change the interest rate on renewable credit limits without providing clear, precise and verifiable conditions for the change, UOKiK said in a statement.

Specifically, the agreements did not state the criteria the bank would consider when changing the rate, giving it scope for arbitrary decisions, the regulator said, adding the prohibited clauses had been in use since December 2018.

"Clauses concerning changes in interest rates should be formulated in such a way that the consumer knows when and how the costs of the credit may change," UOKiK President Tomasz Chróstny said in the statement.

The regulator has ordered PKO BP to inform all affected customers about the decision and publish a statement on its website and social media channels. The bank can appeal the ruling.

PKO BP told Reuters it would decide on further steps, including a possible appeal, after analysing the ruling.

It said the case concerned about 23,000 loan agreements, which is less than 3% of the bank's portfolio.

($1 = 3.5515 zlotys)

(Reporting by Alicja Surdy, editing by Milla Nissi-Prussak)

((AlicjaEwa.Surdy2@thomsonreuters.com;))