£5 for top quality animal fat

Introduced in September of this year, the revamped £5 bank notes are designed to be more robust and last longer than the previous edition. Already seen in countries like Australia, Canada and Indonesia, these polymer bank notes are designed not to be torn, therefore increasing their lifespan by about 2.5 times, reducing the need to produce more.

Though unlike these banknotes, the UK’s £5 note contains one surprising ingredient – tallow. Tallow is a processed form of rendered beef fat obtained from cows, and is probably best known as once being used in candles as the main form of light in pre-electrical times. More recently, it is found in soap, the production of biofuels, and food production, such as deep-fryed fast food. The Bank of England has declined to comment on any further details about the use of animal fat in its banknotes, without giving a reason or a possible alternative, but the news has left many people angered and triggered a large online petition to have the banknotes removed or replaced. While most of the time vegans – and other consumers – have a choice to consume animal or non-animal goods, there is little choice when it comes to which currency you use. The use of animal fats also implicates religious groups such as some Hindu, Sikh and Jain groups, who are forbidden to use beef products, in line with their faith.

Protesters argue its use as unethical and needless, citing the lack of animal fats in polymer banknotes of other countries, and the petition against the use of tallow in £5 banknotes has reached 100,000 signatures at the time of writing.