1983 – the company was transformed into a joint stock company. The company’s name PHZ Baltona S.A.

Baltona is most commonly associated with luxury products that can be bought in Baltona’s stores for convertible currencies, mostly dollars or vouchers, alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, clothing, household electronics and cosmetics.

The 1980s saw the boom of Baltona’s business before the change of economic system in Poland, and then 260 sales outlets across the country were created, and a sailor’s smile on Baltona’s advertising was the brand’s sign.
It was the only chain of shops in Poland during the Polish People’s Republic, distinguished by its colourful logos, the original sailor’s identity, which spoke about the main scope and direction of the company. At that time, Baltona continued to supply ships in Polish and foreign harbours, diplomatic missions, Polish Airplanes Lines LOT, re-export and own export activities on the so-called small markets – the Vatican, Malta, Canary Islands.

One can even say that famous Baltona stores, initially available only to Sailors, developed their wings and turned into a chain of duty-free stores, located in the international airports in Poland and abroad. The first duty-free store on the free market was established at the Okęcie Airport in Warsaw, in 1993.