Tesco is making it even easier to support life-saving research

Since 2018, Tesco, Cancer Research UK, Diabetes UK and the British Heart Foundation have been working together to change lives. We built our health charity partnership on a simple belief: when it comes to supporting good causes, every little helps.

And now, from 20 February to 5 March, Tesco is making it even easier for you to donate. During these two weeks, simply head to your local Tesco and use a self-service till. At the checkout, you can round up your shop to the nearest pound and donate the difference to these three important causes. Tesco will split all donations equally between each charity. If you’re a Clubcard member, you can also donate your reward vouchers online.

Your small change can make a big difference. Cancer, heart and circulatory diseases and diabetes are three of the biggest health challenges of our time, affecting millions of people every year. Together, we aim to raise millions of pounds to help carry on saving and improving lives. From advances in prevention and early diagnosis to breakthroughs in research into cures and treatments, we need your help in raising vital funds to reduce the risk of these life-threatening conditions, both now and in the future.

How your donations make a difference to the charities

Cancer Research UK

Our partnership with Tesco is helping us to bring about a world where everyone can live longer, better lives free from the fear of cancer. Since 2018, Tesco colleagues and customers have helped raise an incredible £22m for the health charity partners. This helps support vital Cancer Research UK projects like our work determining the impact of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme in preventing cervical cancer. Published in 2021, the first study of its kind demonstrated that the vaccination programme reduced cervical cancer rates by almost 90% in women in their 20s who were offered it at age 12–13. Researchers estimated that this prevented around 450 cervical cancers and around 17,200 cases of precancerous conditions over an 11-year period.

Thanks to the generosity of supporters like Tesco, we’ve made some incredible strides in research. Cancer Research UK wants to go further and faster, but beating cancer will take a huge collective effort. If we all pull together, even a little will go a long way.

Diabetes UK

Being in partnership with Tesco has helped Diabetes UK to fund more life-changing research, that will lead the way to a brighter future for everyone with diabetes. Breakthrough research funded by Diabetes UK built the evidence that remission from type 2 diabetes is possible through weight management. Now scientists are working to make sure that as many people as possible with type 2 diabetes can benefit from remission, including children with type 2 diabetes and people with lower body weights.

The partnership means Diabetes UK can speed up research efforts to prevent all types of diabetes. A new trial screening programme for type 1 diabetes the charity is funding will identify children at high risk of the condition, laying the groundwork for the use of pioneering new treatments that can delay or prevent the condition whilst research allows us to delve deeper into the complex mix of factors driving the development of type 2 diabetes and could unlock new and more tailored ways to help people reduce their risk and prevent cases altogether.

“Our long-running partnership with Tesco, alongside the British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK, is helping us to invest in research that’s building our knowledge about the complexities of all types of diabetes, and powering us towards better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat the condition.”

Anna Morris, Assistant Director of Research Strategy and Partnerships for Diabetes UK

British Heart Foundation

Thanks to the commitment of Tesco colleagues and customers, the British Heart Foundation has been able to support exciting research into innovative technology. Thanks in part to the British Heart Foundation’s funding, CaRi-Heart®, a pioneering new technology has been approved for use across the UK, NHS and Europe. CaRi-Heart® performs a deeper dive into traditional coronary CT angiogram scans, identifying the ‘ticking time bomb’ arteries that cause heart attacks. Using AI and deep-learning technology, it can accurately measure inflammation of blood vessels in and around the heart, helping to identify who is at higher risk of a heart attack. The technology enables patients to receive more targeted treatments to help prevent this, ultimately saving more lives.

Thank you, Tesco

Our thanks to Tesco for supporting this initiative and thank you to everyone who rounds up their shop or donates their Clubcard vouchers! Together we will beat cancer.

– Written by Corinne Foskey, Partnerships Manager, Cancer Research UK