M&S teams up with Sir Chris Hoy to encourage more men to take a check for prostrate cancer
Marks & Spencer has partnered with Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy and Prostate Cancer UK to launch a campaign encouraging men to take “a brief check” for prostate cancer.
The campaign will seek to persuade men across the UK to use Prostate Cancer UK’s online Risk Checker – a tool that enables men to find out their risk in 30 seconds and learn what they can do about it.
Risk Checker has been used by more than three million men since it launched in 2022, leading to thousands more men getting an early diagnosis.
M&S said it will be harnessing the power of its stores, website, and social media channels to spark a nationwide conversation about prostate cancer. This will include QR codes being introduced across all clothing & home stores at points of sale and in fitting rooms, as well as on product listing pages for men’s Autograph underwear.
In addition, the retailer will be donating £4 per pack for all men’s Autograph underwear (excluding vests and socks) to Prostate Cancer UK until the end of March, to coincide with Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.
Hoy was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer in September 2023, without any symptoms. In the two months following him making his diagnosis public, the Risk Checker was used by 286,000 people.
Commenting on the new campaign, Hoy said: “When M&S approached me, this campaign felt like a no brainer, I really believe that together, we can make a difference. It’s amazing to know that we’re going to raise vital funds for ground breaking research into prostate cancer – but on top of that, we have the platform and opportunity to break the stigma and talk about it.”
The campaign builds on M&S’s commitment to health awareness, following its successful partnership with Breast Cancer Now. Through this, M&S has introduced informative signage in over 1,500 lingerie fitting rooms, offering guidance on the signs and symptoms of breast cancer.
Mitch Hughes, menswear director, clothing & home at M&S, said: “When Sir Chris Hoy was diagnosed with prostate cancer, it brought the condition front of mind for a lot of us and made men like me question, how would I know if I’m at risk?
“As the market leader in men’s underwear, we felt we had the opportunity to support his inspiring message. We’re very proud of our long-standing partnership with Breast Cancer Now and the impact we have made supporting women to check for signs of breast cancer, but there is more we can do to support men to check their risk of prostate cancer.”
