Interim Management Statement

Compass Group PLC
08 February 2008




8 February 2008


                               Compass Group PLC

                 AGM Statement and Interim Management Statement

Compass Group PLC is today issuing its first Interim Management Statement ahead
of its Annual General Meeting to be held at 11:00a.m. today at the Queen
Elizabeth II Conference Centre, Broad Sanctuary, Westminster, London SW1P 3EE.
At this meeting shareholders will be provided with the following Interim
Management Statement, on the Group's performance for the first three months of
the current year.


Group

Compass has had a strong first quarter with global revenues increasing
organically in line with growth levels for last year. Margins are continuing to
improve and operating profit is running well ahead of last year's first quarter
and marginally ahead of expectations. Cash flow conversion remains very good.

We have embedded the MAP programme deeper throughout the whole organisation and
this is continuing to drive increased focus on like for like growth and cost
efficiencies, resulting in improving margins. The focus on working capital
management and control of capital expenditure is improving free cash flow. The
Group has again delivered good quality organic growth by achieving a better
balance between like for like growth and net new contract wins.

We are managing the impact of food cost inflation through rigorous application
of the MAP framework - particularly in the key areas of purchasing and supply
chain efficiencies; unit cost efficiencies including menu re-engineering; and
client and consumer pricing.


North America

Our broad mix of clients across many sectors of the US and Canadian economy is
helping to drive strong organic revenue growth in the first quarter at similar
levels to last year. In particular, increased participation and healthy eating
programmes have again driven like for like revenue in Chartwells, our education
business. Crothall, our support services business, continues to grow as we focus
on cross selling additional services to existing customers. The remote business
in Canada is performing well in the year to date as a result of the increased
activity in the extractive industries.

Close attention to detail is ensuring that food cost inflation is being well
managed and this, combined with the positive revenue trend, is ensuring that
first quarter margins and operating profits are comfortably ahead of last year.


Continental Europe

Growth in revenues in Continental Europe has been gradually increasing over the
last 18 months and we have seen this trend continue in the first quarter. Spain
and the Nordic region remain the drivers of the improvement. In Spain, growth in
all sectors has been strong with a good balance of new business wins and like
for like growth and the Nordic region continues to benefit from the high
activity in the oil and gas industry.

Good progress is being made in all aspects of MAP and this is improving margins.
First quarter margins and operating profits are well ahead of last year.


UK

As anticipated, revenues and operating profit remain broadly in line with the
same period last year. Performance in education, which had stabilised by the end
of last year, continues to make steady progress and Restaurant Associates, our
fine dining business, and B&I and Healthcare are all performing in line with
last year. In-unit labour and overhead efficiency improvement plans are
progressing well and food cost inflation is being well managed.


Rest of the World

Healthy organic revenue growth in the first quarter, in line with last year, has
been driven by positive trends particularly in Latin America, South Africa, UAE
and our remote businesses which operate throughout the region. The remote site
business continues to perform well on the back of food and support services
which are provided particularly to the energy and extractive industries. Margins
are well ahead of last year with good progress in the geographies listed above
as well as in Japan and Australia.


Brazil Acquisition

The Group is pleased to announce that it has exchanged contracts with its
partner Accor SA to acquire their entire 50% stake in GRSA, the Group's 50%
owned Brazilian joint venture contract catering business, for a total cash
consideration of Brazilian Reals 305m (approximately £88m). The revenues for the
Brazilian business (100%) for the year to 30 September 2007 were £267m, of which
50% were consolidated. Completion will be subject to a number of routine
conditions.


Share Buy-Back Programme

The Group's share buy-back programme has continued. Between 1 October 2007 and 5
February 2008, the Group repurchased for cancellation 65 million ordinary shares
for a total consideration of £203 million, bringing the total number of shares
repurchased since the share buy-back programme began, to 304 million for a total
consideration of £923 million.

Other than in relation to the acquisition of the Brazilian business and the
ongoing share buy-back programme referred to above, there has been no
significant change in the financial position of the Group in the period since
the end of the first quarter.

Ahead of our interim results announcement on 14 May 2008, there will be a
pre-close trading update issued at 7a.m. on 27 March 2008.


ENDS


Enquiries:

Analysts: Andrew Martin: 01932 573000

Media: Chris King: 01932 573116



Note to Editors:

Website

www.compass-group.com


Compass Group is the world's leading foodservice company. We specialise in
providing food, vending and related services to our clients' premises and we
generated annual revenues of around £10 billion in the year to 30 September
2007. The company operates across the following core sectors of Business and
Industry (B&I), Defence, Offshore and Remote, Healthcare, Education, Sports and
Leisure and Vending with an established brand portfolio. For more information
visit www.compass-group.com.

This Interim Management Statement is prepared for and addressed only to the
Company's shareholders as a whole and to no other person. The Company, its
directors, employees, agents or advisors do not accept or assume responsibility
to any other person to whom this Interim Management Statement is shown or into
whose hands it may come and any such responsibility or liability is expressly
disclaimed.

Certain information included in this Interim Management Statement is forward
looking and involves risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results
to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward thinking
statements. Factors which may cause future outcomes to differ from those
foreseen in forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, general
economic conditions and business conditions in Compass Group's markets; exchange
rate fluctuations; customers' and clients' acceptance of its products and
services; the actions of competitors; and legislative, fiscal and regulatory
developments. All statements in this release are based upon information known to
the Company at the date of this report. The Company undertakes no obligation to
publicly update or revise any forward looking statement, whether as a result of
new information, future events or otherwise.

A copy of this release, together with all other recent announcements can be
found on Compass Group's website at www.compass-group.com. Copies of the
presentation given to institutional investors and analysts are also available at
this site.


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