The number of people using Scottish foodbanks has increased by 150% over the past financial year.
According to the latest figures from the Trussell Trust, the amount of men, women and children accessing foodbanks increased from 5,726 in 2011/12 to 14,318 in 2012/13.
In the past year 258 people visited the Angus foodbank, 508 went to the Dunfermline facility and 456 to the one in Falkirk.
In Dundee, 3,379 people visited the foodbank, which is affiliated to the Trussell Trust, making it the busiest in Scotland. It alone experienced a 42% increase in clients from 2011/12 to 2012/13.
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.
“Unless the national picture improves significantly, we don’t expect the challenges faced by individuals and families to disappear.
“These challenges are created by an increasingly hostile economic climate and are compounded by welfare reforms that are heavily impacting low-income households.”
The extent of the problem may be greater, however, as there are other foodbanks operated by churches, councils and other groups.
More than 70 people attended a public meeting in Cupar this week to look at establishing a foodbank and in Anstruther the parish church has been handing out bags of food since the beginning of the month.
The launch of the East Neuk Foodbank, run by Fife Council and the church, followed evidence that families and individuals in the area were struggling.
A proportion of the people using foodbanks has been blamed on benefits delays.
In Scotland 29% of individuals used a foodbank last year because of benefit delay or delays, 18% due to low incomes and 15% due to a benefit change or changes.