The Politeness of Polish Supermarkets

Over the last couple of years I have spent a considerable amount of time in Polish supermarkets.  Not by choice, but because I have to eat occasionally - and Polish supermarkets don’t usually deliver.

One problem with Polish supermarkets is that each supermarket keeps slightly different produce, which means that doing the weekly shopping requires visiting about three or four different shops.  This is compounded by the fact that bread only lasts for about 48 hours before it starts to mutate into something that requires something stronger than teeth to devour.

A good thing about supermarkets however is that they are a good place to try out my Polish and to interact with average Polish people.  Unfortunately however it is not always a positive experience, because Poles (like most people) can sometimes be rude.  In fact about six months ago, after making very careful observations (and some sideways glances) I prepared this table.

You will note that there seems to be a very strong link between politeness and carbon dioxide.  This was a big surprise to me!  Of course my research is very localised, and before I can make any scientific statements I will need to apply for a million dollar research grant to prove my point.