Tesco has reported a surge in sales of its Polish food products – the first rise in demand for a year.

Tesco has reported a 15% increase in its sales of Polish food – the first rise in demand for more than a year – as Polish workers begin to return to the UK.

The supermarket chain noticed a decrease in the sale of its Polish foods at the beginning of 2009 because of the recession and the lack of jobs, however the recent upsurge in sales has prompted Tesco to introduce 92 new Polish delicacies – its first dedicated food range for Poles in 18 months.

Tomasz Zarebinski, Tesco’s Polish foods buyer, commented: “When jobs began drying up some Poles returned home in order to try and find work but many found it equally hard over there and have decided to come back to the UK.

“With unemployment currently higher in Poland than in the UK many of those who left are more hopeful of finding work over here. That has directly led to the first rise in demand for Polish food here for nearly a year and as a result we have now decided to extend our range.”

Now more than 210 Polish food products are on sale at 563 Tesco stores across the UK. These products include traditional Polish delicacies, such as white sour soup, salty sticks and carrot juice, along with popular items including FritoLay crisps and ready meals by Lowicz.

According to the company, around 1.2 million Poles were living in the UK in 2008, and these recent sales suggest they are once again returning to the country to find work after the bite of the recession.