Transaction in Own Shares

Compass Group PLC
18 February 2004

18 February 2004

Compass Group plc

Purchase of own shares for cancellation

Compass Group plc announces that on 18 February 2004 it purchased for
cancellation 1,500,000 ordinary shares at a price of 365.6776p per share through
Merrill Lynch International.


Enquiries:

Justin Besley

Compass Group plc

01932 573 000


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