Director Shareholding

Compass Group PLC
30 March 2004

Compass Group PLC wishes to notify the following changes in Directors' interests 
in ordinary shares in the Company ('Shares').

As a result of the transactions described below which took place today on 30 
March 2004, the following directors are beneficially interested in Shares as 
shown below:

                                                         Percentage of
Name                      Number of Shares               Issued Share Capital
 
Sir Francis H Mackay           2,756,998                     0.128%
Michael J Bailey               2,607,231                     0.121%
Clive W P Grundy                 633,375                     0.029%
Andrew P Lynch                   789,149                     0.036%
 
Mr Grundy and Mr Lynch each exercised 146,800 executive share options under the
Compass Group Executive Share Option Scheme at an option price of 179.2p and
disposed of all of the resulting Shares at 362.36p per Share.

Mr Bailey held 162,019 executive share options which were awarded under the
Compass Group Executive Share Option Scheme on 28 April 1994. These options were
today released and an amount of £455,273.39 is to be paid by the Compass Group
Employee Benefit Trust Number 2, being equal to the excess of the 360.5p middle
market quotation of a Share on 29 March 2004 over the 79.5p per Share exercise
price of the options.

Sir Francis Mackay today on 30 March 2004 sold 400,000 Ordinary Shares in the 
Company at a price of 362.36p per Share.



                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange