Trading Update

Associated British Foods PLC
10 September 2007

                          Associated British Foods plc

                        Pre Close Period Trading Update


Associated British Foods plc issues the following update prior to entering its
close period for its full year results to 15 September 2007, which are scheduled
to be announced on 6 November 2007.

At the time of the announcement of the interim financial results in April, the
Chairman stated that progress was anticipated in adjusted earnings per share
over the full year, the first half having been level with the previous year.
The increase in adjusted earnings will be in line with those expectations.

The strength of sterling continues to affect operating profit adversely and the
impact on the translation of our overseas results will be some £19m for the
financial year.

Profit from our sugar businesses is strongly ahead of last year driven by the
first year contribution from Illovo, which has exceeded our expectations, and a
substantial increase in profit from China.  As in the first half, European sugar
profit was affected by the temporary quota cut and the cost of the restructuring
levy being in excess of reduced beet costs.  Illovo has benefited from increased
crops and strong local pricing offset, in part, by weaker world sugar prices.  A
record crop and firm prices have driven the increase in profit in China.

In May the European Commission published draft regulations to strengthen the
existing restructuring scheme which was created to enable the reform of the EU
sugar regime.  If implemented, these proposals are expected to result in further
quota renunciation with the aim of making good the shortfall in renounced quota
which is likely to result from the current scheme.  Agreement to the final form
of the regulations is expected from the Council of Ministers by the end of
September.

The development potential of our sugar businesses has been reinforced with the
announcement of the agreement to form a joint venture with BP and DuPont to
build a world scale bioethanol plant in the UK, and the investment in the beet
sugar industry in Northern China with the creation of the Bo Tian joint venture.

Sales and profit at Primark will be substantially ahead of last year.  After the
extensive number of store openings in the first half of the year we expect to
have opened a further nine new stores in the second half bringing the total
number at the year end to 170.  Retail selling space increased over the second
half by 0.4m sq ft to 4.8m sq ft.  Like-for-like sales growth in the second half
is expected to be 1% and our estimate of like-for-like sales growth, for the
same period, in stores unaffected by new openings is 7%.  This was achieved
despite the impact, common to other clothing retailers, of poor weather over the
summer months.  Trading in our two stores in Spain continues to exceed
expectation.  Overall sales growth will be ahead of that achieved in the first
half although operating profit margin will be affected both by the predicted
increase in depreciation arising from the investment in stores and by a higher
level of discounting.


Grocery profits will be lower than last year primarily as a result of the losses
incurred by Allied Bakeries, charges for factory rationalisation in ACH and Blue
Dragon and adverse currency translation.  The major relaunch of the Kingsmill
brand in February has increased volumes and market share.  Combined with a price
increase this has resulted in an improving performance for Allied Bakeries.
However, a further bread price increase is now required to recover the recent
sharp increases in the cost of flour.  In North America the cost of vegetable
oils has also increased sharply leading to some margin pressure at ACH.
Twinings and Ovaltine continue to deliver strong growth with the benefit of the
marketing investment in their strategic markets.  Since the half year we have
started the restructuring of G Costa with the intended relocation of
manufacturing to Poland and work is underway to bring together the Patak's and
Blue Dragon businesses.  In Australia, milling and baking have performed well
and there has been a good improvement in the meat business.


Our Ingredients businesses are almost entirely located outside the UK.  Profit
has reduced primarily as a result of the adverse effect of currency translation
and the impact of the strength of the Real on our Brazilian operations.  In AB
Mauri yeast sales continued their growth in all markets with good growth in
South America and SW Asia.  The South American capacity expansions have been
completed.  In ABF Ingredients, yeast extracts, proteins and enzymes
demonstrated good growth and will benefit from the capacity added in the second
half.


Expenditure on acquisitions in the year will be £138m which is primarily the
acquisition of Patak's, which completed on 5 September.  Proceeds from the
disposal of our Scandinavian food distributor and the commodity food polyols
business in the US earlier in the year amounted to £60m.


For further enquiries please contact:

Associated British Foods

John Bason, Finance Director                          Tel: [phone]

Citigate Dewe Rogerson

Jonathan Clare, Chris Barrie, Hannah Seward           Tel: [phone]


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