Prices are exploding all over Europe. Everywhere? No, at a Polish market on the border with Germany, traders are defying inflation and the crisis. The Łęknica market is a paradise for German bargain hunters. Cigarettes, petrol, fake designer clothing and haircuts – the only thing that rules at the cheap bazaar is the law of mercilessly low prices. When Iwona Sałańdziak and Aneta Lach open their tiny hairdresser's shop at eight in the morning, the first customers are already waiting. Then they usually cut the hair of Germans who come to the Łęknica market to fill up cheaply and shop. A haircut costs a good half less here than on the other side of the Neisse. The market has been famous for its competitive prices for many years. The two Poles cannot raise their prices. On the contrary: some Germans even try to haggle. "They just don't understand," says Iwona, shrugging her shoulders, "that our prices have gone up too." Inflation in Poland is at 16 percent - significantly higher than in Germany. But there should be no sign of this at the Łęknica market. "Everything here revolves around price," says Beata Oberhoffner, who sells groceries. But business is currently slow - with one exception: her German customers are buying Polish butter in packs of 30. Beata's profit margins are meager. In order to survive, she works seven days a week, driving to the wholesale market at four in the morning. A similar picture can be seen at Jadwiga Pawlikowska's curtain stall. The 67-year-old is longing for retirement, but instead she sews curtains at a bargain price. At a rapid pace, no one wants to wait longer than an hour. The cheap bazaar in Łęknica is a microcosm that is as fascinating as it is depressing, in which Polish market women fight every day for the Germans' euros. Reportage (D 2023, 32 min) Erratum: Dear community, the report says that the market extends over an area of ​​about 60 football fields. This refers to the extended area around the market with petrol stations and hotels. The market itself is about 16 football fields in size. Reportage (D 2023, 32 min) #poland #leknica #inflation Video available until 16/07/2025 Link to the media library: https://www.arte.tv/de/videos/110246-... Subscribe to the ARTE YouTube channel: / artede Follow us on social networks: Facebook: / arte.tv Twitter: / artede Instagram: / arte.tv