Vegans Have Issue with New U.K. Five Pound Note

Vegans Have Issue with New U.K. Five Pound Note

The recently minted Bank of England's Five Pound Note has caused some outrage with vegans. Evidently, there are traces of beef tallow in the polymer cash to help stop static.

In fact there is a online petition to stop using animal products in its currency. It currently has nearly 125,000 signatures. According to the petition's text the use of animal fat in the currency "is unacceptable to millions of vegans, vegetarians, Hindus, and Sikhs and others in the U.K."

The note is made of plastic rather than paper. The company Innovia Films supplies polymer to 23 other countries currency — in addition to the U.K. — including Canada, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand.

The switch from paper to polymer has been been happening throughout the world's central banks as polymer resists dirt and it last longer than paper cash as well as providing additional security enhancements.

This banknote is also a finalist in what is known as the 'Oscars of world money' the Wold banknote of the year competition which assess that year's newly issued money for its artistic merit and security features. The winner will be named in April of next year.

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