Dino Polska, i.e. one of the largest Polish retail chains, primarily dealing in food goods, after a huge rise in popularity that has been noted in recent years, has hit a turning point. The so‑called “bad press” has been dragging the chain for several months. It all started in winter, when the daily press reported on the conditions under which Dino Polska employees had to work.
We reported on this situation on FXMAG in the first half of February. At that time, information reached the public that the temperature in some of the chain’s stores was only 8 degrees Celsius. The matter was then reported to the State Labour Inspectorate, which, after a control procedure, confirmed the controversial information. As a result of the inspection, the PIP found that the temperature in the markets was far from the required 18 degrees Celsius. Inspectors found places where the temperature did not exceed 12 degrees Celsius.
This was not the only allegation that has appeared in recent months from employees towards the chain’s authorities. The next was the too small number of employees compared to the work they had to perform.
Dino Employees Demand Pay Raises
Dino employees are fighting for better working conditions and, above all, for higher wages for the tasks they perform. Trade unions are demanding a salary increase of 900 PLN. And that’s not all. They also want the creation of a Works Social Benefits Fund and the previously mentioned increase in staff numbers.
On April 25, 2026, a nationwide warning strike was scheduled. If it does not result in talks with the retail chain’s authorities, the protest could be intensified.
Until now, representatives of Dino Polska trade unions have met with employees, not with the chain’s board members, so employees feel that the company’s authorities are not taking them seriously, and they are announcing further, much bolder steps that could lead to store paralysis and, consequently, financial losses for the company.
Dino Polska Board in Chaos
The fact that something bad is happening at Dino Polska and that this can be inferred from the personnel moves that have taken place at the top of the company. The chain has been operating without a president since 2020, after Szymon Piducha resigned from the position. It was then decided that no one new would be appointed to the post, and the most important decisions regarding the company would be made collegially by board members. Two have recently left. In February 2026, after the low‑temperature scandal, Dino Polska board member Piotr Ścigała resigned from his position, who had been with the company for over 20 years. Almost two months later, the same decision was made by Sławomir Niżałowski. The company, in official – laconic statements, claims that both resigned from their positions for personal reasons, which is meant to convince the public that nothing bad is happening in the company. This is difficult, especially in the context of the confusion surrounding the chain that has been occurring in recent months.
The situation could be eased by Dino’s founder and majority shareholder Tomasz Biernacki. The problem is that he is a “ghost person” who avoids meetings with employees or the media. He does not want to appear publicly. In reality, only a few people in the company have contact with him, which means that both the company’s employees and the public do not even know what the owner of one of Poland’s largest retail chains looks like.
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