THE BANK of England will keep animal fat in its banknotes, despite concerns raised by members of the public.
It has announced that the future production of the polymer £5, £10 and £20 notes to be launched in 2020 will be unaffected.
Vegans, Hindus and Sikhs, who have actively campaigned against the tallow’s use in the £5 notes in September, will be disappointed to learn that the Bank of England has rejected their calls to change production to use palm oil or another non-animal fat product.
The Bank said its has not taken this decision lightly and fully recognises the concerns raised by members of the public.
The Bank’s spokesperson stated: “The Bank understands that the decision it has reached may not address the concerns of all parties, but in making this decision, the Bank has considered very carefully the relevant factors and taken into consideration all of its objectives, including its responsibility to maintain confidence in the currency through the issuance of high quality, secure banknotes and achieve value for money for taxpayers.”
The Bank of England has also said that many British shoppers are already using plastics containing traces of tallow on a daily basis, and that the opposition to polymer notes is nothing more but an overreaction.
The institution said: “During our research and discussion with manufacturers and consultants, we were informed that animal-derived additives are used extensively in the many different types of plastics found in a wide range of household goods used on a regular basis, in cosmetics, plastic carrier bags, household detergent bottles, and car parts.
“They are also used in the production of plastics commonly used in alternative payment mechanisms, debit and credit cards and mobile phones. The animal-derived chemical additives are typically from tallow, a by-product mainly from livestock farming.”
