Charity convinces brands to add bowel cancer symptoms to toilet paper packaging

Despite being the UK's fourth most common cancer, almost half of the country's adults can't name a single symptom. Aiming to raise awareness and increase early detection, Bowel Cancer UK launched a new campaign in May 2022: #GetOnARoll. The goal is simple: convince brands to add common bowel cancer symptoms to toilet paper packaging.

The campaign was co-launched with Marks & Spencer. Updated packaging of the retailer's private label loo rolls will be stocked in stores starting September, with an accompanying QR code that leads customers to bowelcanceruk.org.uk for more information. The store's restrooms, meanwhile, will soon feature signage detailing which symptoms to look out for. 

And #GetOnARoll is definitely on a roll: last week, Aldi, Morrisons, Waitrose, Asda and Kimberly-Clark's Andrex all committed to adding potentially life-saving bowel cancer information to their packaging, too.