Director Shareholding

Next PLC
05 August 2002

Next plc

Next ESOP Trust

On 5 August 2002 the Next ESOP Trust disposed of 15,871 Ordinary Shares of 10p
each in Next plc to satisfy share options exercised by employees of the Company.

Executive Directors of Next plc who are participants in the Company share option
schemes are deemed to be discretionary beneficiaries of the Trust and are
consequently considered to be interested in all of the shares held by the Trust
which amount to 8,075,436.

Directors

Mr D C Jones, Mr D W Keens and Mr A J Varley today exercised options granted to
them under the Company Sharesave Option Scheme to purchase and retain Ordinary
Shares of 10p each in Next plc as follows:

Name                                   Date of Exercise               No of Shares                   Price (p)

David Charles Jones                     5 August 2002                     1,472                        506p

David Wilson Keens                      5 August 2002                     1,554                        506p

Andrew John Varley                      5 August 2002                     1,472                        506p



Mr W Barnes

Company Secretary

Next plc




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