Britain’s New Bank Notes: Secure. Durable. Not for Vegetarians.
The Bank of Scotland, one of three banks that prints the new polymer bills in Scotland, posted on Twitter in November
that its notes were vegan-friendly after receiving assurances from its manufacturer that the notes were free of animal products.
On Thursday, the Bank of England, which prints bills circulated in England and Wales, said
that it would continue to use the polymer for the 5-pound note, worth about $6.50, introduced last year, as well as the £10 bill that debuts in September and the £20 note that will enter circulation by 2020.
Bank said that This decision reflects multiple considerations including the concerns raised by the public, the availability of environmentally sustainable alternatives, positions
of our central bank peers, value for money, as well as the widespread use of animal-derived additives in everyday products, including alternative payment methods,
It said it had chosen the polymer notes for their durability and for their ability to incorporate new security features, adding
that they were better for the environment than the traditional cotton-based paper notes.
The bank apparently did not anticipate the pushback on the use of a trace amount of animal products — typically less than 0.05 percent — in the notes.
Of those who expressed a preference, 88 percent were against the use of animal-derived additives, while 48 percent were against
the use of additives derived from palm oil, which the bank had explored as a possible alternative to the tallow.
