THE number of people being fed by food banks in Scotland has increased by 150% in the space of a year, according to new figures.
Meanwhile, the number of food banks has risen from one to 15 in just two years, with another 15 in the pipeline.
The details were gathered by the Trussell Trust, which described the findings as a "wake-up call".
The Christian charity runs the biggest network of food banks in the UK, with 320 opened overall since 2000.
The Trust blamed the economic climate, the rising cost of living and static incomes, unemployment and Government welfare policies for the rise.
It revealed almost 350,000 people have received emergency food from Trussell Trust food banks during the last 12 months, nearly 100,000 more than it had anticipated and close to triple the number helped in 2011/12.
This included 14,318 people in Scotland, 4568 of them children, an increase on the 2011/12 figure of 5726 people.
The trust warned the figures on food bank usage predated the April welfare reforms, which it said could drive numbers higher.
People in desperate circumstances can be referred by local agencies to the Trust's food banks where they will receive a minimum of three days' groceries, designed to provide a nutritionally balanced diet and to be non-perishable.
Scottish food banks accumulated more than 135 tonnes of food over the last financial year, largely through donations made by churches, schools, supermarket customers and other groups. Of this more than 96 tonnes has already been distributed.
As of this month the Trust has 15 open food banks in Scotland, with another 15 "in training".
Network director Adrian Curtis said: "A 150% rise in demand for emergency food is not surprising but it is deeply concerning because it clearly indicates Scottish families are unable to put food on their tables."
He said a similar increase in the need for food banks was expected in 2013/14.
The Trust said the three main reasons people give for approaching food banks are delays in receiving benefits, low income or changes to benefits eligibility.
Around 29% of those using a Scottish food bank (4264) did so because of benefits delays, 18% (2612) due to low income and 15% (2168) due to a benefit change.
Highland Food Bank manager Lorna Dempster cited a rise in the number of benefit sanctions as a key factor in the increase.
She said: "We are seeing more people coming through our doors with sanctions for what appear to be minor misdemeanours like filling in a log book unsatisfactorily."
Citizens Advice Scotland Head of policy Susan McPhee said:"We are really concerned these figures will only increase over the next few years.
"We are starting to see many more people in desperate situations."
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