Petition launched after Bank of England confirms new fiver contains animal fat

The Bank of England says the Cumbria-based the supplier of its new £5 note is looking at “potential solutions” following criticism over the use of animal fat during the production process.

Following on from the backlash by the vegetarian and vegan community, the Bank of England has said it is addressing concerns over the new polymer £5 note containing tallow.

Vegan activist Doug Maw, writing for i, said “no vegan, vegetarian, Sikh, Jain or Hindu would knowingly use a product containing tallow” and called the decision to use the substance “unethical, unfathomable and unacceptable”.

A petition was put together to get the bank to change the note and has now attracted more than 100,000 signatures.

The Evening Standard reported on Wednesday that the new £10 notes, which will come into circulation next year, will also contain tallow, since the Bank of England is under contract to use the same supplier.

“We are now making our own enquiries about the polymer used”, the Reserve Bank said in a statement.

The Bank of England in September unveiled an innovative 5 pound note made of thin, flexible plastic.

The admission kicked up a storm nearly immediately, with vegans and vegetarians in the United Kingdom swearing off the new currency.

The fast food company stopped frying in delicious, delicious beef tallow in 1990 after outcry from vegetarians who were deceived into thinking they were animal-free.

The firm that supplies the polymer plastic used in Britain’s £5 notes – Innovia Films – also supplies material used in polymer money in 23 other countries, including Canada and Australia. “It’s just a little bit cheaper to do with animal fat”.

The New Fiver features former Prime Minister Winston Churchill on the back of the note.

“I do not buy products tested on animals where possible, I avoid using any products or businesses that do not share my ethical stance. And we’d ask that the government remove it and a find a new way of producing their notes”, Swami Shrikarananda said.