LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, November 30, 2016 (New York Times): When it released a new 5-pound note in September, the Bank of England said the new polymer bills were stronger, safer and better for the environment. One thing they are not, it turns out, is meat-free. To the dismay of vegans and vegetarians across Britain, the Bank of England has confirmed that tallow was used in the base of the new notes, which are worth about US$6.25. Tallow, a hard, fatty substance usually made from rendered beef or mutton suet, is much more likely to be found in soap and candles than in a currency.
“There is a trace of tallow in the polymer pellets used in the base substrate of the polymer #5 notes,” the Bank of England said repeatedly in responses to inquiries this week on social media. That led to an outpouring of outrage. The anger was not just abundant but also swift. By 4 p.m. British time on Wednesday, a petition calling on the Bank of England to make a vegan-friendly bank note — “This is unacceptable to millions of vegans, vegetarians, Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and others in the U.K,” it reads — had received almost 100,000 signatures.
The new notes also represent something of a problem for Hindus. Cows are considered sacred in Hinduism, and eating beef is prohibited. The latest census, released in 2012, showed that there were more than 800,000 Hindus in England and Wales, making them one of the biggest religious groups there.