Morrisons launches cancer awareness messaging on underwear in ‘first of its kind’ NHS partnership

The retailer is working with the NHS to put guidance on fabric labels across its Nutmeg at Morrisons underwear products, starting with boxers and crop top bras over the next few months.

Customers can also expect to find a QR code on the packaging and tags linking to more detailed information about both breast and testicular cancer on the NHS website.

The products featuring the new labels will be available in 240 Morrisons stores in a bid to “ensure people are aware of the signs and symptoms of cancer”. 

Morrisons corporate affairs director David Scott said: “We are proud to be leading the way in offering NHS England a new route to reach customers with important messages about body awareness and the symptoms of breast and testicular cancer.

“The new care labels on our crop top bras and boxers urge people to get to know their bodies so that they can more easily notice changes and to contact their GP practice sooner if something doesn’t feel right.

“In the majority of cases, it won’t be cancer, but where it is cancer, diagnosing it early means treatments are more likely to be successful and can ultimately save lives.”

NHS England national director for cancer Dame Cally Palmer said: “This is the first time the whole of the NHS has worked with a national supermarket brand to put health messaging on clothing, with the aim of encouraging thousands more people to be body aware, so they can spot new or unexplained changes that might be cancer symptoms early, and contact their GP practice for checks if concerned.

“Cancer survival is at an all-time high, survival for both breast and testicular cancers have improved significantly over the last 50 years and we’re seeing more people than ever before diagnosed at an early stage and this partnership with Morrisons is just one of the many ways we are ensuring people are aware of potential cancer symptoms.”

Morrisons also said it has made a £10,000 donation to NHS Charities Together as well as pledging more than £2m from its apprenticeship levy to the Yorkshire Ambulance Service to contribute to the training of 200 paramedics.