Holding in Company

Compass Group PLC
27 February 2001



                  DEALINGS BY SUBSTANTIAL SHAREHOLDERS


1)   NAME OF COMPANY

COMPASS GROUP PLC


2)   NAME OF SHAREHOLDER HAVING A MAJOR INTEREST

THE CAPITAL GROUP COMPANIES, INC.


3)   Please state whether notification indicates that it is in respect of 
     holding of the Shareholder named in 2 above or in respect of a 
     non-beneficial interest or in the case of an individual holder if it is a
     holding of that person's spouse or children under the age of 18

SEE LETTER BELOW


4)   Name of the registered holder(s) and, if more than one holder, the 
     number of shares held by each of them.

SEE LETTER BELOW


5)   Number of shares/amount of stock acquired.

N/A


6)   ( N/A %) of issued Class


7)   Number of shares/amount of stock disposed

N/A


8)   ( N/A %) of issued Class


9)   Class of security

ORDINARY SHARES OF 10 PENCE EACH



10)  Date of transaction

ON OR BEFORE 23 FEBRUARY 2001


11)  Date company informed

26 FEBRUARY 2001


12)  Total holding following this notification

73,859,178
               
              
13)  Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification

3.34%


14)  Any additional information

SEE LETTER BELOW


15)  Name of contact and telephone number for queries

ANDREW V DERHAM   TEL: [phone]
                  FAX: [phone]


16)  Name and signature of authorised company official responsible for 
     making this notification

     Date of Notification ...  27 FEBRUARY 2001  ....


LETTER TO: COMPASS GROUP PLC - DATED 26 FEBRUARY 2001

Re: Section 198 Notification

Company Secretary:

Enclosed is a Section 198 Notification dated 23 February 2001. Please note  that
our  shareholding has not changed since the spinoff of Compass  Group  plc  from
Granada  Compass plc. We are merely enclosing this information  to  confirm  our
holding in your company.

The  Capital  Group  Companies, Inc. ('CGC') is a holding  company  for  several
subsidiary  companies engaged in investment management business. The  investment
management  business  is  divided into two operational  groups,  represented  by
Capital   Research   and   Management  Company  ('CRMC')   and   Capital   Group
International, Inc. ('CGII'). CRMC is a U.S.-based investment adviser that
manages The  American  Funds Group of mutual funds. CGII is the parent company 
of  five companies  that  serve  as investment managers to various institutional
clients around   the  globe:  Capital  Guardian  Trust  Company  in  the  U.S., 
Capital International, Inc, in the U.S. and Singapore, Capital International
Limited in the United  Kingdom,  Capital International S.A.  in  Switzerland 
and  Capital International K.K in Japan. For a more complete description of our
organization, please visit our Web site at www.capgroup.com.

Neither CGC nor any of its subsidiaries own shares of your company for their own
account.  Rather, the shares reported in this Notification are owned by accounts
under  the  discretionary investment management of one or more of the investment
management  companies described above. Furthermore, CRMC and CGII act separately
from  one  another and from CGC in exercising investment discretion  over  their
managed accounts.

For  the  purposes  of  this  Notification  an  outstanding  share  balance   of
2,214,574,000  shares was used to calculate the percentages of holdings  of  the
relevant share capital which determine the notifiable interest. We believe  this
outstanding share balance is current; however, if this number is not accurate,
please contact us as soon as possible so we may make the necessary revisions to
this Notification.


LETTER FROM: THE CAPITAL GROUP OF COMPANIES, INC.

Date: 23 February 2001

                            SECTION 198 NOTIFICATION
                               Notification of New

  This Notice is given by The Capital Group Companies, Inc. on behalf of its
affiliates, including Capital Guardian Trust Company, Capital International
Limited, Capital International S.A., Capital International. Inc., and Capital
Research and Management Company, pursuant to Section 198 of the Companies Act
1985.

  The interest in the relevant share capital indicated below arises by virtue
of holdings attributed to the Companies (see Schedule A). These holdings form
part of funds managed on behalf of investment clients by the Companies.

     Share capital to which this relates:

        Ordinary Shares (2,214,574,000 shares outstanding)

     Number of shares in which the Companies have an interest:

        73,859,178

     Name(s) of registered holder(s):

        See Schedule B


As of 23 February 2001

Compass Group plc

                                                      Number of      Percent of
                                                         Shares     Outstanding

The Capital Group Companies, Inc. 'CG' holdings      73,859,178         3.34%

Holdings by CG Management Companies and Funds:

* Capital Guardian Trust Company                     10,776,481         0.49%

* Capital International Limited                      24,192,291         1.09%

* Capital International S.A.                          7,215,434         0.33%

* Capital International, Inc.                            46,621         0.00%

* Capital Research and Management Company            31,628,351         1.43%


                                 Schedule A



                    Schedule of holdings in Compass Group plc
                             As of 23 February 2001

                          Capital Guardian Trust Company

Registered Name                                                    Local Share

State Street Nominees Limited                                        1,973,094

Bank of New York Nominees                                              256,686

Chase Nominees Limited                                               2,881,808

BT Globenet Nominees Ltd.                                               48,300

Midland Bank plc                                                     2,604,078

Bankers Trust                                                          723,800

Barclays Bank                                                          215,000

Nortrust Nominees                                                    1,992,015
     
Royal Bank of Scotland                                                   5,500

MSS Nominees Limited                                                    37,000

National Westminster Bank                                                1,200

Citibank NA                                                             16,000

ROY Nominees Limited                                                    22,000

                                                            TOTAL   10,776,481

                               Schedule B
 

                          Capital International Limited

Registered Name                                                   Local Shares

State Street Nominees Limited                                          434,585

Bank of New York Nominees                                            2,750,803

Chase Nominees Limited                                               5,870,924

Midland Bank plc                                                        74,145

Bankers Trust                                                        9,942,932

Barclays Bank                                                          251,465

Citibank London                                                        220,347

Morgan Guaranty                                                         58,962

Nortrust Nominees                                                    3,629,718

Royal Bank of Scotland                                                  53,077

MSS Nominees Limited                                                   195,900

Lloyds Bank                                                             93,660

Vidacos Nominees Ltd.                                                   57,297

Citibank NA                                                             85,544

Deutsche Bank AG                                                       472,932

                                                            TOTAL   24,192,291


                               Schedule B


                           Capital International S.A.


Registered Name                                                   Local Shares

State Street Nominees Limited                                          249,850

Bank of New York Nominees                                              156,263

Chase Nominees Limited                                               2,945,270

Credit Suisse London Branch                                             74,000

Midland Bank plc                                                       978,152

Barclays Bank                                                          575,509

Nortrust Nominees                                                       36,590

Morgan Stanley                                                          46,225

Royal Bank of Scotland                                               1,467,315

National Westminster Bank                                              134,800

Lloyds Bank                                                             43,887

Vidacos Nominees Ltd.                                                  389,853

RBSTB Nominees Ltd.                                                     94,023

Citibank NA                                                             23,697

                                                            TOTAL    7,215,434

                                 Schedule  B


                          Capital International, Inc.

Registered Name                                                   Local Shares

Bank of New York Nominees                                               46,621

                                                           TOTAL        46,621


                                 Schedule B