Rule 8.1 - SOMERFIELD PLC

FORM 8.1 DEALINGS BY OFFERORS, OFFEREE COMPANIES OR THEIR ASSOCIATES FOR THEMSELVES OR FOR DISCRETIONARY CLIENTS (Rules 8.1(a) and (b)(i) of the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers) 1. KEY INFORMATION Name of person dealing (Note 1) BARCLAYS PLC Company dealt in SOMERFIELD PLC Class of relevant security to which the ORD GBP 0.10 dealings being disclosed relate (Note 2) Date of dealing 17 NOVEMBER 2005 2. INTERESTS, SHORT POSITIONS AND RIGHTS TO SUBSCRIBE (a) Interests and short positions (following dealing) in the class of relevant security dealt in (Note 3) Long Short Number (%) Number (%) (1) Relevant securities 66,617,886 (12.13%) (2) Derivatives (other than options) 1,038,364 (0.19%) (3) Options and agreements to purchase/sell Total 66,617,886 (12.13%) 1,038,364 (0.19%) (b) Interests and short positions in relevant securities of the company, other than the class dealt in (Note 3) Class of relevant security: Long Short Number (%) Number (%) (1) Relevant securities (2) Derivatives (other than options) (3) Options and agreements to purchase/sell Total (c) Rights to subscribe (Note 3) Class of relevant security: Details 3. DEALINGS (Note 4) (a) Purchases and sales Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit (Note 5) Purchase 14,948 1.9497 (b) Derivatives transactions (other than options) Product name, Long/short (Note 6) Number of securities (Note 7) Price per unit (Note 5) e.g. CFD (c) Options transactions in respect of existing securities (i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying Product name, Writing, Number of Exercise Type, e.g. Expiry Option money e.g. call option selling, securities to price American, date paid/received purchasing, which the option European per unit (Note varying etc. relates (Note 7) etc. 5) (ii) Exercising Product name, e.g. call option Number of securities Exercise price per unit (Note 5) (d) Other dealings (including new securities) (Note 4) Nature of transaction (Note 8) Details Price per unit (if applicable) (Note 5) 4. OTHER INFORMATION Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives Full details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding between the person disclosing and any other person relating to the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option referred to on this form or relating to the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative referred to on this form is referenced. If none, this should be stated. Is a Supplemental Form 8 attached? (Note 9) NO Date of disclosure 24 NOVEMBER 2005 Contact name BARCLAYS CORPORATE SECRETARIAT Telephone number 020 7116 2913 Name of offeree/offeror with which associated VIOLET ACQUISITIONS LIMITED Specify category and nature of associate status (Note 10) Notes The Notes on Form 8.1 can be viewed on the Takeover Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk

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