On the border markets in confederate Poland there is simply a real siege. The Czech language is heard more and more and more, and the sellers wipe their hands, counting profits they have not seen in years. Our confederate neighbors are mass shopping, buying goods in bulk. The reason is simple – in Poland it is much cheaper for them. This phenomenon, driven by price differences and circumstantial needs, transforms local bazaars into vibrant centres of cross-border trade. The scale of the phenomenon is so large that any traders sale out all the goods before noon, and request for certain products, especially those needed for home-made products, is beyond the wildest expectations. For Polish retailers it is simply a golden interest and for Czech consumers a way to make real savings in the home budget.
A marketplace boom at the border. “There is nothing until noon”
Scenes that take place in the markets in Lower Silesian and Opole Voivodeships remind of the best times of local trade. Although the expedition to the bazaars for many Poles is everyday, for the Czechs it became a carefully planned logistics operation. They don't come to choice up a fewer vegetables, but for tens of kilograms of merchandise, filling the trunks to the brim. Salesmen admit that although customers from the Czech Republic have appeared before, the current period is absolutely exceptional.
Traders' accounts talk for themselves. The chatter is increasingly interrupted by the Czech language, and customers from outside the confederate border have become the dominant group of buyers, especially on weekends. One of the Kudowa-Zdrój vendors In a conversation with the Czech portal “Blesk” there was no surprise in the scale of demand: “If I have 400 bags of cucumbers, there is nothing till noon. If this continues, everything will be sold out in 2 weeks." This perfectly illustrates the strength of the phenomenon. The goods, which were inactive waiting for customers all day, present vanish in a fewer hours.
Local entrepreneurs rapidly adapt to the fresh reality. any increase orders from farmers, others effort to better exposure the products most popularly purchased by the Czech Republic. This is simply a dynamic situation that has become an chance for many to make up for losses from previous, more hard years. The traffic is so large that any Polish customers start complaining about empty boxes early in the morning.
What do the Czechs buy in Poland? The charts are amazingly long
Although Czechs buy a wide scope of products in Poland, the list of buying hits is very circumstantial and mostly dictated by the period for home products. Absolute number 1 is ground cucumbers. In the Czech Republic, as in Poland, the tradition of preparing stocks for winter is inactive alive, and silage or canned cucumbers (called nakládané kurky) are the basis of many dishes.
Of course, where there are cucumbers, there must be another ingredients. Thus, Polish stalls in bulk besides disappear:
- Fennel – essential for the preparation, sellers admit that they do not keep up with cutting it.
- Sugar and salt – basic components of the reservoir, purchased in multi-kilogram packs.
- Vinegar – another key component to prepare the jacket.
However, Czech interest does not end with food products for jars. According to the Czech portal arecenze.cz, it is besides very popular animal feed. The price differences here are shocking. According to the portal, on 1 large pack of dog or cat food can save up to PLN 50 compared to prices in Czech stores. This makes many quadruped owners decide to take a peculiar journey abroad to make supplies for a fewer months.
Gold versus crown. How large are the savings?
The key to knowing the phenomenon of mass buying is, of course, money. The price differences between Poland and the Czech Republic are crucial adequate that the journey to the border town simply pays off, even after the fuel costs have been calculated. The Czech crown course for gold and lower retail prices of many products in our country play a major role.
The example of cucumbers is the most meaningful. Czech media estimates that a kilo of this vegetable can be bought in Poland for 25–32 crowns (approx. PLN 4.00–5.50). At the same time in the Czech Republic price per kilo reaches even 45 kronor (nearly PLN 8.00). So the difference is almost 40-50%, which erstwhile buying respective twelve kilograms generates savings of respective 100 kronor, or respective twelve PLN on 1 product only.
The Czechs calculate it perfectly. By coming with a ready list of purchases and buying wholesale, they are able to save much of their home budget. However, there is simply a catch against which Czech news services warn. It's a form of payment. They urge that in Polish markets pay cash. Payment by card, especially with the usage of the DCC (Dynamic Currency Conversion), may consequence in a very unfavourable conversion rate imposed by the terminal operator, which may offset any of the savings.
A chance for local trade. Is this the beginning of a fresh trend?
The current situation is undoubtedly a immense chance for Polish traders and farmers from border regions. Increased request drives the local economy, creating a symbiosis in which both sides gain – Czechs save and Poles earn. This besides proves that conventional trade in markets is well and responsive to marketplace needs.
The question remains how long this trend will last. The increase in request may lead to local price increases in the future, which could reduce the attractiveness of purchases in Poland. On the another hand, if the overall price differences between countries stay significant, cross-border purchases are expected to only increase. possibly we will shortly see even more Polish retailers aiming straight at the client from the Czech Republic, offering bilingual labels or peculiar promotions.
For now, however, Polish retailers are happy with an unexpected boom. For many of them, this is the best period in years, which shows that close proximity to the border may not be a burden, but a immense asset. What for any is simply a simple acquisition at the bazaar, for others has become a regular expedition after savings, which redefines the trade map of confederate Poland.
Read more:
Great invasion of the Czech Republic on Polish markets. Salesmen number evidence profits.
