Bank of England _£5
An online petition calling for an end to the use of tallow in the production of the Bank of England's new polymer £5 notes has resulted in a search for an alternative substance.
Innovia, the Wigton-based supplier of the polymer used in the new plastic £5 notes, is looking for “potential solutions” after calls from the public to end the use of animal fats in the manufacturing process.
Following the emergence of the news that tallow, a substance typically derived from the fat of beef or mutton, is used in the early stages of the production of the base substrate for the polymer pellets, an online petition calling for an alternative has attracted over 100,000 signatures.
The Bank of England has responded to the petition, saying it is treating people’s concerns with “the utmost seriousness” and that Innovia and its supply chain is “working intensively” towards finding potential solutions.
It also said it “did not know” about the use of tallow when the contract with Innovia was signed, adding that the “issue” had only just come to light.
The Bank introduced the new polymer £5 notes in September, with a £10 note to follow in 2017 and £20 note by 2020.