Bank of England company which makes £5 note 'looking at solutions' after animal fat sparks public outcry

Outcry: The Bank of England has responded to the public criticism.
Justin Tallis/ AFP/Getty Images
Francesca Gillett1 December 2016

The company behind the Bank of England’s new £5 note is looking at “potential solutions” following a massive public outcry to the revelation they contain animal fat.

A row broke out after the UK bank confirmed on Monday the note contains traces of tallow, a substance made from animal fat.

Over 100,000 people signed a petition against the notes and demanding the substance be removed.

In a statement on Wednesday, the bank said it was “aware of some people’s concerns” about the ingredient in its polymer note, which was introduced in September.

It said it was treating the concerns with the "utmost respect" and was in discussion with its supplier, Innovia.

In a statement, the Bank of England said: "This issue has only just come to light, and the Bank did not know about it when the contract was signed.

"Information recently provided by our supplier, Innovia, and its supply chain shows that an extremely small amount of tallow is used in an early stage of the production process of polymer pellets, which are then used to create the base substrate for the £5 note.

"Innovia is now working intensively with its supply chain and will keep the Bank informed on progress towards potential solutions."

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