Some 60,000 households now make use of the nationwide network of food banks and their numbers are growing by 10% a month, broadcaster Nos said on Friday.

The growth is so rapid that it has become difficult to ensure a constant supply of good, healthy food, Nos says. This is partly because the economic crisis has forced supermarkets to re-examine their purchasing policy and less fresh food is being donated.
In some places, there are now waiting lists for food bank membership, Nos says. In Rotterdam 500 new clients joined in 2011, but 500 more have been added since the start of this year. The food bank now has a waiting list.