Marks and Spencer raises £55K+ for Prostate Cancer UK with Sir Chris Hoy online and in-store education campaign

UK retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) has raised over £55,000 for Prostate Cancer UK within two weeks of launching an online and in-store campaign aimed at increasing awareness and encouraging men to check their risk for prostate cancer.

The retailer has sold more than 14,000 packs of men’s underwear as part of the initiative.

Last month, M&S announced its partnership with Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy and Prostate Cancer UK to drive awareness through the Take a Brief Check campaign. The initiative leverages M&S’s market presence in men’s underwear and its reach of 32 million customers and 65,000 employees. Celebrity ambassadors, including former footballer Ian Wright, have also supported the campaign to spark national conversations around prostate cancer awareness.

Rising prostate cancer cases and early detection efforts

At the end of January, Prostate Cancer UK reported that prostate cancer is now the most common form of cancer in England, with cases increasing by 25% between 2019 and 2023. Currently, one in eight men will develop prostate cancer, with the risk doubling for Black men. Early detection significantly improves treatment outcomes.

The campaign has encouraged men to use Prostate Cancer UK’s online Risk Checker, a tool designed to help individuals assess their risk in 30 seconds. In the first two weeks of the campaign, over 75,000 men have completed the online check. The tool is accessible via Prostate Cancer UK’s website and has been promoted in M&S stores through QR codes at Point of Sale, fitting rooms, and on product listing webpages for men’s Autograph underwear on M&S.com.

According to Prostate Cancer UK, more than 61,000 of those who used the online Risk Checker were identified as being at higher risk and were advised to consult their GP about the PSA blood test.

Continued Fundraising Through March

M&S has committed to donating £4 per pack from sales of all men’s Autograph underwear (excluding vests and socks) to Prostate Cancer UK until the end of March to further support the charity’s research and services.

Mitch Hughes, Menswear Director, Clothing & Home at M&S, said:

"As the market leader in men’s underwear, we knew we had an opportunity to support Sir Chris’ inspiring message and spark a nationwide conversation about prostate cancer. I have been absolutely blown away by the response from our customers and colleagues so far. The funds raised will help support the incredible work of Prostate Cancer UK and we’re hoping to raise even more over the next few weeks of the campaign. Who knew a pair of pants could be so powerful."

Laura Kerby, Chief Executive of Prostate Cancer UK, said:

"Sir Chris has changed the way the UK thinks about prostate cancer—with more men now aware of their risk and the option to ask their GP about a simple PSA blood test, and politicians talking seriously about screening. His impact has already been huge, and we were thrilled to team up with Sir Chris and Marks & Spencer to keep this momentum going.

"Our partnership has already started changing and saving lives. Tens of thousands of men have taken that all-important first step of taking our online Risk Checker, which will certainly lead to more men getting an earlier, curable diagnosis who might otherwise have got much worse news. What's more, the thousands of pounds raised by M&S customers will mean we can support more men living with prostate cancer and fuel research into our TRANSFORM screening trial and better treatments. We're grateful to Sir Chris, M&S, and shoppers across the UK for making this happen.”