Major interests in shares

Associated British Foods PLC
19 March 2007

Associated British Foods plc

19 March 2007



TR-1(i): NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTERESTS IN SHARES



1. Identity of the issuer or the underlying issuer of existing shares to which
voting rights are attached (ii):



Associated British Foods plc



2. Reason for the notification (please place an X inside the appropriate bracket
/s):

An acquisition or disposal of voting rights: (    )



An acquisition or disposal of financial instruments which may result in the
acquisition of shares already issued to which voting rights are attached: (    )



An event changing the breakdown of voting rights: (    )



Other (please specify): Initial notification, made under TP7



3. Full name of person(s) subject to the notification obligation (iii):



A. Garfield Weston Foundation
B. Wittington Investments Limited
C. Howard Investments Limited



4. Full name of shareholder(s) (if different from 3.) (iv):



Wittington Investments Limited
Howard Investments Limited



5. Date of the transaction (and date on which the threshold is crossed or
reached if different) (v):



Not applicable - this notification is made under TP7



6. Date on which issuer notified:



March 19, 2007



7. Threshold(s) that is/are crossed or reached:



See 5 above



8. Notified details:



 A. Garfield Weston Foundation owns 79.2% of the issued share capital of
    Wittington Investments Limited;
 B. Wittington Investments Limited owns 431,518,108 ordinary shares (50.9%) of
    the Issuer's issued ordinary capital;
 C. Wittington Investments Limited owns 100% of the issued share capital of
    Howard Investments Limited, which owns 28,173,889 ordinary shares (3.6%) of
    the Issuer's issued ordinary share capital;
 D. The Garfield Weston Foundation indirectly owns 431,515,108 ordinary shares
    (54.5%) in the Issuer, making the Foundation the Issuer's ultimate
    controlling party.



A: Voting rights attached to shares


Class/type of shares if possible           Situation previous to the Triggering transaction (vi)
using the ISIN CODE
                                  Number of shares                   Number of voting Rights (viii)


Ordinary shares of                431,515,108                        431,515,108

5 15/22 pence each



ISIN Code:

GB0006731235





Resulting situation after the triggering transaction (vii)


Class/type of shares if     Number of shares     Number of voting rights (ix)      % of voting rights
possible using the ISIN
CODE
                            Direct               Direct (x)       Indirect (xi)    Direct       Indirect


As above.

No change in situation -
TP7 applies


Wittington Investments      403,341,215          403,341,215      28,173,893       50.9         3.6
Limited


Howard Investments Limited  28,173,893           28,173,893              -         3.6


Garfield Weston Foundation           -                  -         431,515,108                   54.5





B: Financial Instruments

Resulting situation after the triggering transaction (xii)


Type of         Expiration Date       Exercise/Conversion       Number of voting rights     % of voting rights
financial       (xiii)                Period/ Date (xiv)        that may be acquired if the
instrument                                                      instrument is exercised/
                                                                converted.


N/A



Total (A+B)
Number of voting rights        % of voting rights


431,515,108                    54.5%



9. Chain of controlled undertakings through which the voting rights and/or the
financial instruments are effectively held, if applicable (xv):



a.Garfield Weston Foundation to Wittington Investments Limited:

b.      Wittington Investments Limited to i) Howard Investments Limited to the
Issuer; and (ii) the Issuer.



Proxy Voting:



10. Name of the proxy holder:

   N/A



11. Number of voting rights proxy holder will cease to hold:

   N/A



12. Date on which proxy holder will cease to hold voting rights:

   N/A



13.  Additional information:

This notification is made to satisfy the notifying parties' obligations on the
coming into force of the Disclosure and Transparency Rules and the Transitional
Provisions



14.  Contact name:

Rosalyn Mendelsohn

Deputy Company Secretary

Associated British Foods plc



15.  Contact telephone number:

020 7399 6500


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