Accessing food between the years 1952 and 1989 was difficult in the Polish People's Republic. Grocery stores were very small, typically with only one clerk. Their stock was very limited because they only stocked the "basics" in small quantities. They quickly sold out of bread, meat, and sugar; however, other items such as vinegar and vodka, were almost always accessible.
Accessing food became even more difficult when ration stamps were introduced on August 12th, 1976. These stamps were a tool for the government to control how much food the people brought, what they were able to buy, and who was able to buy food. All of these factors were based on the citizens age and profession. By 1981, meat was only available for purchase through these stamps. Since grocery stores quickly sold out, the people often turned to unofficial sellers for "high demand" food items. This action was so widespread across Poland, it was almost impossible to discourage by law; as it could not be enforced. Another way the people got around buying food with stamps was raising carp in their homes. It was easy to raise, leading it to become a staple in traditional Polish cuisine.
As briefly mentioned in the previous paragraph, vodka was almost always accessible in grocery stores. However, other types of alcoholic drinks such as beer and wine, were rarely available. Polish citizens would use ration stamps for vodka, or any other kind of alcohol they could get as well as food. When the people ran out of stamps, they made bimber in their homes; an alcohol typically made out of sugar, grain, or potatoes.
Citation:
Staga, D. (2014, November 3). The Communist Regime in Poland in 10 Astonishing Pictures.
Retrieved April 1, 2019, from https://culture.pl/en/article/the-communist-regime-in-poland-in-10-astonishing-pictures
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