Director Shareholding

Compass Group PLC
3 December 2003

Letter to RNS

Compass Group PLC wishes to notify the following change in Directors' interests
in ordinary shares of 10 pence each in the share capital of the Company
('Shares').

Compass Group Share Option Plan (the 'Option Plan')

The following Director of Compass Group PLC (the 'Company') was today granted
for nil consideration options under the terms of the Company's Option Plan over
Shares set out below.

Name                Exercise     Number of     Normal Exercise     Total Number
                    Price        Options       Period (from/to)    of Options 
                                 Granted                           Held
                                                                   Following 
                                                                   Grant

Sir Francis H 
Mackay              356p         500,000       3 December 2006-
                                               2 December 2013     2,201,245

From  Ronald M Morley
      Secretary 



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