Sean McLaughlin, a member of staff at a well-known pizza chain, said he plunged himself into debt because of a zero-hours contract.

The 22-year-old politics student from Maryhill, Glasgow, said: "I've had to rely on student loans. I don't want to rely on my mum and dad.

"I'm struggling big time. If you're taking out money you really can't afford, you're being put in debt."

Despite wanting to move out of the family home, McLaughlin said the lack of consistent hours meant it was too risky.

McLaughlin has a second part-time job as a clerical officer but still cannot afford to privately rent.

He said: "We do get set shifts but the bosses have the power to say they don't need you tonight so you don't need to turn up. So you've got shifts on paper but you still can't earn any money.

"The bosses can control very easily what you take home at the end of the month which I don't think is fair. Right now I have friends trying to live in flats and pay bills and they're juggling week to week month to month."

McLaughlin believes there should be an investigation into the practises of employers' use of zero-hours.

"I'd say companies should have some kind of statue that says it's completely illegal for you to turn up for a job and be told you can't earn a wage," he said. "It's pretty Victorian almost.

"I know it can work for some people. That's their choice. I'd prefer them to work for everybody, not just some."

Marion Sweetland, 20, from Edinburgh, said she was forced to leave her job at high street retailer Next because of a zero-hours contract.

The 20-year-old law student, who received support from Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS), said: "Having a zero-hours contract is really difficult because they only give you 24 hours notice.

"I had to look the night before to see what my shifts were so it was really difficult arranging for my mum to drive me there or getting buses."

Sweetland said colleagues who had families were also forced to leave because they were given shifts they could not do.

"There were a few people I worked with who had kids and they were being put on evening shifts at short notice," she said.

"They had to leave because they needed day shifts. You'd have three or four hours one week then nothing, then you'd have a full week of work then nothing.

"I ended up having to get another job to make sure I had enough money coming in each week."

Sweetland said students were being "taken advantage of" because "they can do what they want with us".

" I've got a couple of friends on zero-hours contracts as well," she said. "They're too scared to say no to work because they don't want to get sacked. It's a nightmare, I wouldn't want to do it again."

A spokeswoman from Next declined to comment.