Three-quarters of Poles against introduction of tax on smartphones
23:27
The idea of introducing a reprographic fee for electronics causes public opposition, as much as 75 percent of Poles evaluate it negatively, including 54 percent definitely negative. Only 9 percent of respondents like the draft of the new tax, according to the poll "Poles against the tax on smartphones".
According to Michał Kanownik, president of the Digital Poland Association, the imposition of the reprographic fee will primarily affect Poles, who are forced to invest in new equipment due to the pandemic.
"In order to function normally in work, business, school, family and social relations, you need to equip yourself with electronic equipment" - he emphasized.
A public opinion poll conducted by Social Changes on a representative sample of 2,240 people over the age of 18 shows that 54 percent of respondents declare that after the introduction of the tax on smartphones, they will purchase audiovisual equipment less frequently (24 percent) or much less frequently (30 percent).
"Especially among people with children and people over 55, there is a very large number of declarations that they will limit or stop purchasing electronic equipment," Marek Grabowski, president of the Social Changes agency, noted.
54 percent of the respondents also believe that the taxation of computer equipment and smartphones necessary for working and learning remotely should be reduced.
"The tax on electronic devices is completely contrary to the digitization agenda of the Polish government. It will limit access to consumer electronics and increase the scale of the digital divide. It will also hit Polish business,” Cezary Kaźmierczak, president of the Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers, said.
According to him, the imposition of a reprographic fee will increase the taxation of electronic equipment by almost 30 percent.
"This is the highest taxation in the entire European Union, which will probably eliminate Polish distributors from the market," Cezary Kaźmierczak added.
(PAP)
