interests in shares

Associated British Foods PLC
13 March 2006


Associated British Foods plc
13 March 2006


NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTERESTS IN SHARES


1. Name of Company

Associated British Foods plc

2. Name of shareholder having a major interest

FMR Corp.
82 Devonshire Street
Boston, MA 02109

Parent holding company of Fidelity Management & Research Company (FMRCO), investment manager for US mutual funds, and 
Fidelity Management Trust Company (FMTC), a US state chartered bank which acts as a trustee or investment manager of 
various pension and trust accounts.

Fidelity International Ltd
PO Box HM 670
Hamilton HMCX, Bermuda

Parent holding company for various direct and indirect subsidiaries, including Fidelity Investment Services Ltd. (FISL),
Fidelity Gestion (FIGEST), Fidelity Investments Advisory (Korea) Limited (FIA(K)), Fidelity Investments Management (Hong
Kong) Limited (FIMHK), Fidelity Pension Management (FPM), Fidelity Investments Japan (FIJ) and Fidelity Investments 
International (FII), investment managers for various non-US investment companies and institutional clients.

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

Non-beneficial

The notifiable interests also comprise the notifiable interest of

Mr Edward C Johnson 3d
82 Devonshire Street
Boston, MA 02109

A principal shareholder in FMR Corp. and Fidelity International Limited.

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

Nominee/ Registered name      Management Company     Shares held

Northern Trust London                 FPM            3,004,200
JP Morgan Bournemouth                 FPM            2,525,700
State Str BK and TR Co LNDN           FPM            1,473,500
Bank of New York Brussels             FPM             1,408,229
Mellon Bank plc                       FPM            793,500
HSBC Bank Plc                         FPM            184,500
Clydesdale Bank plc                   FPM            90,500
Chase Manhttn BK AG Frnfrt            FPM            60,500
JPMorgan Chase Bank                   FPM            31,800
Dexia Privatbank                      FPM            6,800
Chase Manhattan London                FPM            6,400
Brown Brothers Harriman and Co        FMTC           385,000
State Street Bank and TR Co           FMTC           312,800
Bank of New York                      FMTC           161,900
Northern Trust Co                     FMTC           134,100
JPMorgan Chase Bank                   FMTC           128,600
JPMorgan Chase Bank                   FMRCO          1,000,000
Northern Trust London                 FMRCO          80,600
State Street Bank and TR Co           FMRCO          38,300
Mellon Bank N.A.                      FMRCO          26,500
JP Morgan, Bournemouth                FISL           4,415,491
Brown Bros Harrimn Ltd LUX            FIL            11,134,474
JP Morgan, Bournemouth                FIL            1,702,514
Bank of New York Brussels             FIL            351,500
Northern Trust London                 FIL            140,500
JP Morgan, Bournemouth                FIL            119,600
State Str BK and TR Co Lndn           FIL            112,588
Morgan Stanley London                 FIL            57,799
Bank of New York Europe Ldn           FII            1,366,025
JP Morgan, Bournemouth                FIJ            108,208
State Street Bank and TR Co           FICL           230,800
State Street Hong Kong                FIA(K)L        9,600

5. Number of shares / amount of stock acquired

N/A

6. Percentage of issued class

N/A

7. Number of shares / amount of stock disposed

N/A

8. Percentage of issued class

N/A

9. Class of security

Ordinary Shares of 5 15/22 pence each

10. Date of transaction

N/A

11. Date company informed

10 March 2006

12. Total holding following this notification

31,602,528 ordinary shares
13. Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification

3.99%

14. Any additional information

Shares in issue as at 9 March 2006 - 792,000,000

15. Name of contact and telephone number for queries

Rosalyn Mendelsohn - 020 7399 6500

16. Name of authorised company official responsible for making this notification

Rosalyn Mendelsohn
Deputy Company Secretary
Associated British Foods plc

10 March 2006

www.abf.co.uk


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