Acquisition

Associated British Foods PLC
20 September 2000


             Further Store Acquisitions for Primark.
                                
Associated British Foods, the international food, ingredients and retail
group, announced today (Tuesday 19 September) the acquisition of six stores by
its Primark retail business. The stores were previously part of the C&A group
and are located in Harrow, Huddersfield, Lewisham, Newcastle, Sheffield and
Woking.

The addition of these stores will increase Primark's retail selling space by
150,000 square feet and Newcastle will become the group's largest at 50,000
square feet.

Primark has experienced strong growth in recent years and has pursued an
active programme of new store openings. This further expansion follows the
acquisition last year of ten stores from the Co-op including the flagship
Reading store and will take Primark to a total of 103 stores employing over
7000 staff.

Commenting on the announcement, ABF chief executive, Peter Jackson said,

'These six new stores are located in prime town centre sites, where Primark
was previously unrepresented. They are an important addition to its store
portfolio and development programme.'

                                
For more information, please call:

John Bason - Finance Director
Tel:  [phone]