As cross-border e-commerce sweeps across Eastern Europe, Poland's market landscape reveals unexpected challenges. Year-end 2025 data shows local platform Allegro staging a remarkable comeback, successfully reshaping the competitive dynamics.
According to the latest figures, Allegro reached 19.84 million users by December 2025, overtaking Temu's 18.87 million to reclaim market leadership. This reversal not only counters Temu's earlier expansion but signals the resurgence of localization advantages in Poland's e-commerce sector.
A Gradual but Decisive Turnaround
Allegro's resurgence unfolded through consistent growth over two critical months. In November, the platform first surpassed Temu with 19.19 million users versus its rival's 19.10 million , ending Temu's nine-month dominance since March 2025. By December, Allegro widened the gap to nearly 1 million users .
More significantly, Allegro demonstrated superior user engagement. Its average session duration of 1 hour 56 minutes dwarfed Temu's 52 minutes 28 seconds , reflecting stronger brand loyalty among Polish consumers.
Local Expertise Versus Global Expansion
Analysts attribute Allegro's success to its deep-rooted understanding of Polish consumer behavior, established logistics networks, and long-term brand building. While Temu rapidly gained ground through aggressive pricing, challenges remain in user experience, post-sale services, and regulatory compliance.
This shift serves as a cautionary tale for global e-commerce platforms: sustainable growth in emerging markets requires more than price competitiveness. Localized operations and cultural adaptation prove equally critical for long-term success.
The Road Ahead
Poland's e-commerce competition is poised to intensify. Whether Allegro can maintain its lead, or how Temu might counterattack, will significantly influence Central and Eastern Europe's digital marketplace evolution.
For international players, particularly Chinese enterprises expanding abroad, developing market-specific strategies and differentiated value propositions will determine their competitiveness in this ongoing battle for dominance.