Commenting on East Lothian Foodbank’s statistics for 2022, which show a 51% increase in demand from the public in comparison to the previous year, with the service providing over 100,000 meals to local people, Martin Whitfield MSP said:

“These latest figures confirm that, as the cost of living crisis piles pressure on households, more local people than ever are having to turn to foodbanks.

“While the East Lothian public have been incredibly generous over the years in donating food to help meet this increased demand, it is shameful that foodbanks should be needed in 21st Century Scotland.

“We must take urgent action to end the need for foodbanks. The Scottish Government has been consulting on how to do this, but there are things it can do quickly, such as supporting legislation to enshrine the right to food in Scots law to create a duty to end food poverty.

“There is no more time to delay – Ministers must stop kicking the can down the road and act now to eradicate food poverty once and for all.”