Rule 8.3 - BOOTS PLC

FORM 8.3

    DEALINGS BY PERSONS WITH INTERESTS IN SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE
              (Rule 8.3 of the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers)


1.   KEY INFORMATION

Name of person dealing        BARCLAYS PLC
(Note 1)
Company dealt in              BOOTS GROUP PLC
Class of relevant security    ORD GBP 0.25
to which the dealings being
disclosed relate (Note 2)
Date of dealing               06 JANUARY 2006



2.   INTERESTS, SHORT POSITIONS AND RIGHTS TO SUBSCRIBE

(a)   Interests and short positions (following dealing) in the class of relevant
security dealt in (Note 3)

                             Long                   Short

                         Number       (%)         Number       (%)

(1) Relevant         26,293,258    (3.64%)      1,109,678  (0.15%)
securities
(2) Derivatives          14,280    (0.00%)        171,587  (0.02%)
(other than
options)
(3) Options and               0    (0.00%)      3,675,000  (0.51%)
agreements to
purchase/sell
Total                26,307,538    (3.64%)      4,956,265  (0.69%)



(b)  Interests and short positions in relevant securities of the company,  other
     than the class dealt in (Note 3)

Class         of            Long                     Short
relevant
security:

                  Number                    Number
                                   (%)                       (%)
(1)     Relevant
securities

(2)  Derivatives
(other      than
options)

(3)  Options and
agreements    to
purchase/sell

Total


(c)  Rights to subscribe (Note 3)

Class of relevant security:   Details


3.   DEALINGS (Note 4)

(a)  Purchases and sales

Purchase/sale Number of Securities Price per unit
                                   (GBP)
Purchase      8,880                6.2130
Sale          2,103                6.2008
Sale          500                  6.1958
Sale          500                  6.1958
Sale          375                  6.2008
Sale          1,500                6.2058
Sale          700                  6.2058
Sale          4,996                6.1819
Sale          45,936               6.2119
Sale          1,122                6.2132
Sale          11,164               6.2124


(b)  Derivatives transactions (other than options)

Product    Long/Short    Number of Securities  Price Per
name,      (Note 6)      (Note 7)              Unit (GBP)
e.g. CFD
CFD        Long          11,164                6.2124
CFD        Long          45,936                6.2119


(c)  Options transactions in respect of existing securities

(i)  Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

Product     Writing,     Number of    Exercise    Type,e.g.     Expiry   Option money
name,       selling,     securities   price       American,     date     paid/received
e.g. call   purchasing   to which                 European               per unit (note 5)
option      , varying    the option               etc.
            etc.         relates
                         (Note 7)


(ii) Exercising

Product name, e.g.  Number of           Exercise price per
call option         securities          unit (Note 5)


(d)  Other dealings (including new securities) (Note 4)


Nature of transaction Details           Price per unit
(Note 8)                                (if applicable)
                                        (Note 5)


4.   OTHER INFORMATION

Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives


Full details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding between the
person disclosing and any other person relating to the voting rights of
any relevant securities under any option referred to on this form or
relating to the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any
relevant securities to which any derivative referred to on this form is
referenced.  If none, this should be stated.



Is a Supplemental Form 8 attached? (Note 9)                 NO


Date of disclosure                         09 JANUARY 2006
Contact name                               BARCLAYS CORPORATE SECRETARIAT
Telephone number                           020 7116 2913
If a connected EFM, name of
offeree/offeror with which connected
If a connected EFM, state nature of
connection (Note 10)


Notes

The Notes on Form 8.3 can be viewed on the Takeover Panel's website at
www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk