Polish shops in the British Isles

Last updated
Polish shop
Native name
Polski sklep
Company type Grocers and convenience store
Area served
 British Isles
ProductsFood and drink

A Polish shop, also known as a polski sklep, is a type of delicatessen, in the British Isles that retails various types of Polish food products. In 2014 there were estimated to be up to 500 Polish shops in the United Kingdom (UK), [1] their presence is considered to be a prominent symbol of the Polish community. [2]

Contents

History

Establishment

The first Polish shops were opened in the UK following the Polish Resettlement Act 1947, which allowed Poles who had fought in World War II to remain in Britain. This first wave of Polish shops was small in number and such establishments were often elusive, being attached to private members clubs or Roman Catholic churches serving the Polish community. However, in the 1990s more Polish shops began trading, including what would become one of the largest chains Mleczko. [3] [4] By the beginning of the 21st century there were an estimated 25 Polish shops in London, concentrated in areas with established Polish communities such as Hammersmith, Ealing and Camden Town. [5]

Rise

The influx of Poles to the UK and the Republic of Ireland following the 2004 enlargement of the European Union resulted in a significant expansion of Polish shops across the British Isles, with The Grocer estimating up to 500 such businesses across the United Kingdom by 2014. [6]

Decline

By 2016 the amount of Polish shops had begun to decline. This has been attributed to a cultural shift, with the assimilation of Polish immigrants into British communities. [7] The Brexit referendum was also predicted to have an effect on Polish shops. [8] [9] However, the declining number of Polish shops may also be due to increased competition from supermarket chains seeking to capitalise on the market for Polish products. In 2008 Tesco doubled its range of Polish products, and the following year extended sales to 563 of its outlets. [10] [11] Other chains including Asda and Sainsbury's also stock Polish products. [12] The adoption of Polish products by established supermarkets was cited as a major factor in, what had become, Northern Ireland's largest independent chain, Karolina Shop, closing in 2021. [13] However, other independent retailers have reported a rise in sales following the promotion of Polish food at larger supermarket chains. [14]

Services and stock

Polish shops stock a range of consumable food and drink items which will typically include sourdough, whole wheat and rye breads, kasza , fermented foods such as marinated mushrooms, sauerkraut, and various types of pickled cucumbers. Other national specialities retailed in Polish shops include ptasie mleczko , śmietana , kissel , włoszczyzna, and paluszki . A range of non-alcoholic beverages such as kompot , kwas chlebowy and kefir are sold alongside Polish beer brands including Lech, Tyskie, Żubr and Żywiec. Polish shops often incorporate a deli counter serving a range of traditional dishes from homemade pierogi to twaróg , serek wiejski , wędliny and kielbasa. [15] [16] [17] [18]

Polish shops will also offer seasonal delicacies such as bigos , makowiec , opłatek , pascha and Babka Wielkanocna . Aside from edible products, stock may often include household goods, Polish literature such as newspapers, magazines, and books, tobacco products, [19] and clothing items such as football scarves. [20] Services such as money transfers are also offered. [21]

Dispersal and cultural identity

Polish shops are found throughout the British Isles, both in urban and rural areas that have attracted Polish immigrants. While metropolitan areas such as Greater Manchester, which hosts the largest Polish shop in the North West, can support many shops, [22] smaller towns also accommodate them. Polish shops reflect the cultural identity of their clientele through the incorporation of references to well-known Polish brands, [23] or simply by their presence in sectarian areas of Northern Ireland. [24] Polish shops cater to a predominantly working class shopper, representative of the social base of Polish immigration to the British Isles. Many Polish shop fronts adopt a garish aesthetic designed to evoke the post-communist visual culture of Poland. For example, shop signs are often designed to reference a typographic style known as TypoPolo, incorporate the red and white of the Polish flag, use Polish names, and incorporate colourful vinyl coverings which are often used in conjunction with smaller adverts and handwritten signs. [25]

Research into Polish shops in London has found that they serve an important function within immigrant communities as spaces that root shoppers to their homeland. This is partly achieved through the interior design of the shops themselves and the arrangement of their stock. Polish shops often use Slavic customs, folklore and the aesthetic of the communist era to evoke an exaggerated sense of Polishness. [26]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Don, Andrew (16 October 2014). "Eastern (European) Promise: how UK retailers are responding to the immigrant influx". The Grocer .
  2. ↑ Oliver, Tim (3 September 2020). "A History of Brexit in 47 Objects: The Story of Leave". LSE .
  3. ↑ Tomasiewicz, Kasia; Zboralska, Marta (16 December 2024). "A cultural history of the polski sklep". Vittles.
  4. ↑ "Mleczko delikatesy". POL-PRO.
  5. ↑ Don, Andrew (16 October 2014). "Eastern (European) Promise: how UK retailers are responding to the immigrant influx". The Grocer .
  6. ↑ Tomasiewicz, Kasia; Zboralska, Marta (16 December 2024). "A cultural history of the polski sklep". Vittles.
  7. ↑ West, Patrick (8 December 2016). "The mystery of Kent's disappearing Polish shops". The Spectator .
  8. ↑ Shaw, Dougal (3 July 2016). "My Shop: Entrepreneur's fears for her Polish deli empire". BBC News .
  9. ↑ Kozak, Joanna (14 July 2016). "Opinion: will Brexit spell the demise of Polish shops in London?". New East Digital Archive.
  10. ↑ Winterman, Denise; Lane, Megan (1 May 2008). "Making Polish food from supermarket ingredients". BBC News Magazine . BBC News.
  11. ↑ "Tesco says Polish food sales rise". BBC News . 17 November 2009.
  12. ↑ Craven, Neil (11 May 2008). "The great Polish supermarket sweep". The Mail on Sunday .
  13. ↑ Cochrane, Amy (23 December 2021). "Polish food retailer Karolina Shop to close all Northern Ireland stores". Belfast Telegraph .
  14. ↑ Carrigy, Aoife (1 November 2017). "From pierogi to pickles: learning to love cuisine". Irish Independent .
  15. ↑ Olbrich, Suze (26 October 2016). "Polish food in Britain: a guide to the classic dishes". The Guardian .
  16. ↑ Greg (29 September 2023). "Where to buy Polish products a.k.a. "Polish food for Dummies"".
  17. ↑ Tomasiewicz, Kasia; Zboralska, Marta (16 December 2024). "A cultural history of the polski sklep". Vittles.
  18. ↑ Zboralska, Marta (1 April 2020). "Vittles 3.4: The Ultimate Guide to the Polski Sklep". Vittles.
  19. ↑ "Thousands of Pounds of Illicit Vapes and Tobacco Seized in Multi-Agency Operation". The Swindonian. 25 May 2024.
  20. ↑ Shaw, Dougal (3 July 2016). "My Shop: Entrepreneur's fears for her Polish deli empire". BBC News .
  21. ↑ Tomasiewicz, Kasia; Zboralska, Marta (16 December 2024). "A cultural history of the polski sklep". Vittles.
  22. ↑ Brown, Ben (20 May 2022). "Pierogi, Vodka & So Much More: A Guide to Polish Food & Drink in Manchester". Manchester's Finest.
  23. ↑ Pruchniewicz, Przemysław (24 April 2015). ""Biedronki" hitem wśród Wyspiarzy! Polski sklep robi furorę". Polish Express (in Polish).
  24. ↑ Tomasiewicz, Kasia; Zboralska, Marta (16 December 2024). "A cultural history of the polski sklep". Vittles.
  25. ↑ Kozak, Joanna (14 July 2016). "Opinion: will Brexit spell the demise of Polish shops in London?". New East Digital Archive.
  26. ↑ Rabikowska, Marta; Burrell, Kathy (2016). "The Material Worlds of Recent Polish Migrants: Transnationalism, Food, Shops and Home". In Burrell, Kathy (ed.). Polish Migration to the UK in the 'New' European Union. Routledge. pp. 241–264. ISBN   9781315601137.
  27. ↑ Matlock, George (23 September 2015). End of the Parade (Audio). Anglo-Polish Radio (Radio clip). Retrieved 8 May 2025.
  28. ↑ Coakley, Linda (2010). "Exploring the significance of Polish shops within the Irish foodscape". Irish Geography . 43 (2: Re-imagining the Irish foodscape): 105–117. doi: 10.1080/00750778.2010.515138 . PMID   21197796.
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