A new £5 note issued by the Bank of England has generated concern and anger among religious groups, vegans and vegetarians after it emerged that it contained traces of animal fat.
The note entered circulation in September, but its controversial content only emerged on Monday after the Bank of England responded to a question on Twitter confirming that there was a “trace of tallow in the polymer pallets used in the base substrate of the polymer £5 notes.”
“Tallow is derived from animal fats (suet) and is a substance that is also widely used in the manufacture of candles and soap,” the central bank said in a statement.
Online plea not to use animal fat
An online petition calling for the bank to cease using animal product in its notes swiftly gained support: at the time of writing more than 90,000 people had signed the petition due to be delivered to the Bank of England. The notes were “unacceptable to millions of vegans, vegetarians, Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and others in the U.K,” reads the petition started by Doug Maw. “We demand that you cease to use animal products in the production of currency that we have to use.”
The new note is the first of a series of notes based on polymer being brought out by the central bank, as part of a drive to make notes that “last longer, stay cleaner and are harder to counterfeit than paper notes.” The bank conducted a consultation on the switch to the notes in 2013, and there is even a website devoted to it: thenewfiver.co.uk. New £10 and £20 polymer notes are due to come out in 2017 and 2020 respectively. The bank estimates the notes last 2.5 times longer than paper ones.
Indian groups miffed at move
Indian groups expressed their concern about the revelations. “There is huge disappointment, shock and anger among our members specially who are vegetarians, Jains, Hindus and Sikhs,” said Poonam Joshi, founder of Indian Ladies UK, a networking and support group for first generation migrants. “Thousands have already signed the petition.”
“This country is very stringent about mentioning everything on the label and yet it took 2 months for this finding to come to light,” she added.
Trupti Patel, President of the Hindu Forum of Britain, which represents over 300 Hindu organisations, expressed her surprise about the move, which, she said, contrasted with the largely inclusive and sensitive approach of U.K. authorities to the concerns of different faith groups. “Its very insensitive to do this. Currency is not a choice,” she said, adding that while many members had already signed the petition, its executive committee and constituent member organisations would consider whether further steps were needed. She noted the logistical problem it would pose for temples across Britain, many of which did not allow even garlic or onions. To have the new £5 note in the donation boxes would be totally and utterly unacceptable,” she said.
‘Think of it as oversight’
While to some the controversy might hark back to 1857, and the animal fat cartridges, Ms. Patel said she believed the inclusion of animal fat was simply an oversight by U.K. authorities. “I think it’s most likely a mistake. When you develop something new and its animal content doesn’t matter to you, you just don’t think of it.”
