Shoppers at Morrisons supermarkets in the North East and Yorkshire will find NHS advice on underwear labels urging them to contact their GP practice if they spot potential symptoms of breast or testicular cancer.

Nutmeg-branded underwear featuring NHS advice is stocked in 240 of the Bradford-based supermarket’s stores, including more than 50 outlets in this region. The labels appear in boxer shorts and will be followed by crop-top bras in the coming months.

NHS guidance is displayed on the fabric labels. There is also a QR code on the packaging and tags which links customers to more detailed information on breast and testicular cancer on the NHS website.

This first-of-its-kind partnership for the NHS is the latest move in a significant drive to ensure people are aware of the signs and symptoms of cancer. If people notice symptoms they should contact their GP practice and come forward for checks as early as possible so they can get the all-clear or, in some cases, a cancer diagnosis sooner – to give them the best chance of surviving the disease.

Symptoms of breast cancer can include a lump or change in the look, shape or feel of one or both breasts, while symptoms of testicular cancer can include painless swelling or a lump in one of the testicles or any change in shape or texture of the testicles.

National figures show 91% of women survive for at least five years if diagnosed at the earliest stage of breast cancer where the tumour is small (stage one), whereas this reduces to 39% where the cancer has spread to other parts of the body (stage four). While nearly all men survive testicular cancer, if the cancer has spread survival for five years or more can reduce to 65%.

Dr Faisel Baig, GP and Regional Medical Director for Primary Care for NHS North East and Yorkshire, said: “Cancer survival is at an all-time high – survival for both breast and testicular cancers has improved significantly over the last 50 years and we’re seeing more people than ever before diagnosed with cancer at an early stage. But we want to continue this progress and this partnership with Morrisons is just one of many ways we are ensuring people are aware of potential cancer symptoms.

“I want to urge everyone to look out for lumps, bumps or anything else that is unusual for you – and please get checked out early, it could save your life.”

Morrisons has also made a £10,000 donation to NHS Charities Together and has committed to transferring more than £2 million from its apprenticeship levy to Yorkshire Ambulance Service to help train around 200 paramedics in the region.

More people than ever before are being seen and treated by the NHS for cancer – in the last year the number of people receiving lifesaving checks for cancer hit nearly three million (2.92m) – more than any other year on record. Thanks to extensive NHS campaigns and early diagnosis initiatives, a higher proportion of cancers than ever before were diagnosed at an early stage in the year 2022-2023 – 58% of cancers diagnosed at stage one or two compared to 56% before the pandemic.

For further information on spotting the signs and symptoms of cancer please visit:

• Breast cancer in women – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
• Breast cancer in men – NHS – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
• Testicular cancer – Symptoms – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

To find your nearest Nutmeg concession please visit https://my.morrisons.com/storefinder/