B&M Stores & Bowel Cancer UK Partner Up To #GetOnARoll And Save Lives

Right now, almost half of UK adults can't name a single symptom of bowel cancer, despite it being the fourth most common cancer. Knowing the symptoms, and acting on them, means that bowel cancer can be diagnosed earlier when it is more treatable and curable.

That’s why we’re incredibly proud to be the latest retailer to support Bowel Cancer UK’s #GetOnARoll campaign by listing bowel cancer symptoms on our own-brand loo roll.

To take our support even further, we’re donating £20,000 to the charity to help fund future initiatives that will save lives and improve the quality of life of everyone affected by bowel cancer.

Changes in bowel habits and blood in your poo are just two of the key symptoms of bowel cancer to look out for, as well as bleeding from your bottom, persistent and fatigue, unexplained weight loss, extreme tiredness for no obvious reason and a pain or lump in your tummy.

Seeing the symptoms on loo roll packaging should prompt you to check your poo every time you pick up a pack so you can act early, visit your GP quickly and get an earlier diagnosis.

Fewer than four in 10 people are diagnosed at the earliest stages. The #GetOnARoll campaign is looking to change this and ultimately save more lives by sharing potentially life-saving information on loo roll packaging.

We’ve been inspired to get behind this campaign following the incredible story of one of our amazing store colleagues, Jayne, who was sadly diagnosed with bowel cancer last year. Following major surgery – and ultimately an early diagnosis - Jayne was able to get the right treatment and care early enough to make a full recovery.

During Jayne’s recovery, she gained lots of advice from Bowel Cancer UK, and this is how she heard about their #GetOnARoll campaign, which was launched in May 2022. The campaign started with M&S, and Bowel Cancer UK were asking as many retailers as possible across the UK to join the campaign by adding the symptoms of bowel cancer to their own-brand toilet roll.

Knowing B&M have their own best-selling toilet rolls sold in all stores nationwide, Jayne contacted our Health & Wellbeing Business Partner with her story to see if together they could get B&M to join Bowel Cancer UK’s #GetOnARoll campaign.

Jayne was delighted to hear that B&M wanted to help by using their brand voice and scale to support the campaign and charity in the hope they could save other lives of their colleagues and customers in the future.

Genevieve Edwards, Chief Executive of Bowel Cancer UK, said: “We’re incredibly proud of Jayne for turning her own personal experience of bowel cancer into a legacy that has the potential to raise awareness of the symptoms of the disease to B&M’s staff and millions of their valued customers.

“We’re thrilled that B&M will be featuring the symptoms of bowel cancer on their loo roll packaging, as part of our #GetOnARoll campaign. Nearly 43,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year, but fewer than 4 in 10 people are diagnosed in the early stages when the disease is easier to treat.

“We can change this and raising awareness of those red-flag symptoms plays a huge part. Their help could make millions more people across the UK aware of the early signs to look out for and will undoubtedly save lives from bowel cancer in the future.”

Mandy Iannantuoni, Health & Wellbeing Business Partner from B&M Stores said: “We’re delighted to be able to support Bower Cancer UK’s #GetOnARoll campaign. The business was so inspired by Jayne’s story, the incredible bravery she has shown and her mission to help others that sadly could find themselves in the same situation. It makes us incredibly proud as a business to support the campaign and know that it could help save more lives of both our colleagues and customers in the future.”

The new own-brand toilet rolls packaging featuring the symptoms will start to roll out to B&M stores nationwide this week. To find out more about Bowel Cancer UK and find out how you can support their #GetOnARoll campaign, visit the Bowel Cancer UK website.