Product Update

Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
18 July 2005





18 July 2005



                           BLOOMSBURY PUBLISHING Plc
    FIRST 24 HOUR SALES IN THE UK OF HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE



Bloomsbury Publishing Plc announced today that sales of Harry Potter and the
Half Blood Prince have been exceptional and, according to Nielsen BookScan, the
independent book trade monitoring service, 2,009,574 copies were sold in the
first 24 hours in the UK. This represents a 13% increase on the comparable
figure for first day sales of the previous title, Harry Potter and the Order of
the Phoenix, in July 2003 of 1,777,541. The initial sales are in line with the
Group's expectations and AGM statement on 30 June. In addition to the good start
to the launch of the sixth and latest Harry Potter book, which is benefiting
from the significant marketing campaign undertaken by Bloomsbury, previous
titles in the series are also benefiting from the new launch.


                                      Ends



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  Tim Spratt/Charles Palmer
  Financial Dynamics                                       020 7831 3113








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