Charities and campaigners are meeting in Glasgow to discuss long term solution to food poverty.

The conference aims to look at how to respond to poverty and move beyond reliance on food banks.

At the conference, Oxfam will reveal research that shows more people in Scotland recognise food poverty than across the UK and more people agree food banks should not be necessary.

The survey found only one third of people in Britain (34%) agreed there were many or very many people who find it difficult to afford enough to eat.

In Scotland the figure was higher, but still less than half, at 44%.

However a far higher amount, 82% of Scots, believe people should not need to use food banks compared to 72% in Great Britain and more people believed foodbanks are a sign of something wrong in society than across Britain.

The conference Food Poverty and Social Justice is being held in the Royal Concert Hall today hosted by the Poverty Alliance.

Peter Kelly, Director of the Poverty Alliance, said action through income and employment was key.

He said: “The growth of food banks in recent years is the surest sign that we need to do more to tackle poverty in Scotland.

"In the short-term we need to ensure people who need food can access it, but we also need to find long term solutions to food poverty. Our politicians need to listen to the demand for higher incomes and more, secure employment."

Oxfam said that the full scale of the problem was still not appreciated.

Jamie Livingstone, Head of Oxfam Scotland said foodbanks were not about lack of food but poverty.

He said: “Food banks are a humanitarian response, but they should not have to exist – everyone should have sufficient income to afford enough food, and to pay for other essentials. There is no shortage of food in Scotland – this is about poverty.”