Animal fat in UK £5 notes

[Tobi]

There has been quite a protest about the knowledge that there is a small amount of tallow (animal fat) in the new £5 notes:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38164921

This has upset many vegans, vegetarians, Sikhs and Hindus. A petition has collected 100,000 signatures.

I actually find this quite inspiring. Many years ago no-one would have asked any questions about tallow being in a product of any kind. It shows we are thinking differently.

I dislike those new 'plastic' notes anyway! They refuse to fold up properly, they spring and jump about, and slip out of your fingers! They look horrid and cheap, and not like 'real money'.

[Catherine]

I was planning to make the same post about Canadian money. It seems that the bills of both countries contain animal products.
Beef was mentioned.

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&...lE7WDMk99g


I don't like the new bills and I don't like the fact that they use animal products in their manufacture.

In a world that is pulling away from animal products, this is a step backwards.
The fact that people were not told is also wrong. They violated the rights of people who choose not to use animal products.

Quote:I dislike those new 'plastic' notes anyway! They refuse to fold up properly, they spring and jump about, and slip out of your fingers! They look horrid and cheap, and not like 'real money'.

I think we all agree on this. They also can stick together and you can lose a bill by mistake and they melt if exposed to heat.

Does anyone like them.

[Tobi]

(12-01-2016, 04:19 PM)Catherine Wrote: I think we all agree on this. They also can stick together and you can lose a bill by mistake and they melt if exposed to heat.

Does anyone like them.

I never have enough for them to stick together  And as for me getting warm enough right now, for them to melt....well chance would be a fine thing!

But yes, they are pretty rubbish. I much prefer the paper money. They burned if they were lit....but let's not go there.....

[Catherine]

They really look like something from a children's game. Of course I am not familiar with any of the bigger bills, but I understand they look just as "pretty".

Do we really want pretty money. The old stuff worked just fine and it didn't have beef parts in its manufacturing process.
They are going to have to fix that problem. People don't like it and once there is a public outcry it is better to give in. Public opinion is proving to be very powerful.

I don't even think the fancy bills are safe from counterfeiting. If the counterfeiters can do it better, without the animal products, then we should hire them.

[Tobi]

I don't know whose idea it was to suddenly change our money. But when some bright spark has a whim and a fancy about 'changing something' (which was fine the way it was before!...and so prevalent nowadays...) then it all costs very big money to do!
And guess who pays for it? Yes, the taxpayer. What a silly waste of money in my opinion.

[Catherine]

I can understand that they need to change the designs periodically.  This was a complete upheaval. If they had asked us first I think we would have rejected the plastic stuff. It doesn't even feel like money. It doesn't go as far as it used to either.