Board Succession

Sainsbury(J) PLC
14 March 2003

               J SAINSBURY plc ANNOUNCES BOARD SUCCESSION


The Board of J Sainsbury plc ('the Group') today announces that Sir George Bull
has agreed to extend his tenure as Chairman until 28 March 2004.  At the request
of the Board, Sir Peter Davis has also agreed to extend his time with the Group
and will assume the role of Chairman on 29 March 2004.  As part of the same
process the Group will be initiating a search for an independent non-executive
Deputy Chairman, a new role for the Group, to be appointed during 2004 with the
intention that this individual will in due course become non-executive Chairman.



These appointments will maintain the momentum of the Group's successful business
transformation programme and ensure management continuity in the next eighteen
to twenty-four months.  The Group will start a formal recruitment process later
this year with a view to appointing a new Chief Executive either internally or
externally by March 2004.



Sir Peter Davis rejoined the Group in January 2000 on a four year contract
ending in March 2004.  Following discussions between Peter and the Board during
the second half of 2002, he announced on 13 January 2003 that he had agreed in
principle to stay on at the Group to provide continuing leadership for the
company's recovery plans and to ensure effective management succession and
handover.



In conjunction with the Board's decision to appoint Sir Peter Davis as Chairman
from 29 March 2004, it believes it is now appropriate to award a package of
restricted shares in J Sainsbury plc in respect of his extended term of office.
This will be in the form of conditional awards of shares to be released on 31
July 2005, subject to achievement of profit targets and business milestones set
by the Remuneration Committee, and dependent on the successful implementation of
the succession plans.



Sir George Bull, Chairman of J Sainsbury plc commented:

'The board believes it is important to maintain management continuity during
this period of recovery and transition. On this basis, I have agreed to stay
beyond my initial retirement date and I am delighted that Peter has agreed to
succeed me as Chairman at the end of March next year.  The Board has agreed a
package for Peter that focuses on profit improvement and business recovery
targets, which we believe will lead to enhanced shareholder value. The Board is
unanimous in its view that Peter's talent energy and vision make him an ideal
candidate to succeed me as Chairman, drive through and increase the pace of
change of the transformation of the Group, and position the Group strongly in
light of the rapid developments within the food retailing sector.'





Notes

This new award will be in the form of conditional awards of restricted shares to
be released on 31 July 2005, subject to achievement of specific profit targets
and business milestones set by the Remuneration Committee, and dependent on the
successful implementation of the succession plans. Sir Peter Davis will be
eligible for two awards of restricted shares. The first, amounting to one
million shares, will be made in respect of the 2003/2004 financial year. The
second, amounting to 500,000 shares, will be made in respect of the 2004/2005
financial year. Each of those awards will be subject to specific profit and
business recovery targets.



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