Major Interests in Shares

Associated British Foods PLC
18 January 2006


Associated British Foods plc
18 January 2006


NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTERESTS IN SHARES


1. Name of Company

Associated British Foods plc

2. Name of shareholder having a major interest

FMR Corp.
82 Devonshire Street
Boston, MA 02109

Parent holding company of Fidelity Management & Research Company (FMRCO),
investment manager for US mutual funds, and Fidelity Management Trust Company
(FMTC), a US state chartered bank which acts as a trustee or investment manager
of various pension and trust accounts.

Fidelity International Ltd
PO Box HM 670
Hamilton HMCX, Bermuda

Parent holding company for various direct and indirect subsidiaries, including
Fidelity Investment Services Ltd. (FISL), Fidelity Gestion (FIGEST), Fidelity
Investments Advisory (Korea) Limited (FIA(K)), Fidelity Investments Management
(FPM), Fidelity Investments Japan (FIJ) and Fidelity Investments International
(FII), investment managers for various non-US investment companies and
institutional clients.

3. Please state whether notification indicates that it is in respect of holding
of the shareholder named in 2 above or in respect of a non-beneficial interest
or in the case of an individual holder if it is a holding of that person's
spouse or children under the age of 18

Non-beneficial

The notifiable interests also comprise the notifiable interest of

Mr Edward C Johnson 3d
82 Devonshire Street
Boston, MA 02109

A principal shareholder in FMR Corp. and Fidelity International Limited.

4. Name of the registered holder(s) and, if more than one holder, the number of 
shares held by each of them

Nominee/ Registered name      Management Company     Shares held
Northern Trust London                 FPM            3,124,737
JP Morgan Bournemouth                 FPM            2,284,900
Bank of New York Brussels             FPM             2,034,729
State Str BK and TR Co LNDN           FPM            1,431,700
Mellon Bank plc                       FPM            793,904
HSBC Bank Plc                         FPM            158,300
Clydesdale Bank plc                   FPM            85,100
Chase Manhttn BK AG Frnfrt            FPM            60,500
JPMorgan Chase Bank                   FPM            31,800
Bank of New York Europe Ldn           FPM            31,700
Citibank London                       FPM            27,700
Chase Manhattan London                FPM            7,500
Dexia Privatbank                      FPM            6,800
Brown Brothers Harriman and Co        FMTC           366,700
State Street Bank and TR Co           FMTC           312,800
Bank of New York                       FMTC           161,900
Northern Trust Co                     FMTC           147,000
JPMorgan Chase Bank                   FMTC           125,500
JPMorgan Chase Bank                   FMRCO          1,000,000
Northern Trust London                 FMRCO          80,600
State Street Bank and TR Co           FMRCO          38,300
Mellon Bank N.A.                      FMRCO          26,500
JP Morgan, Bournemouth                FISL           5,698,905
Brown Bros Harrimn Ltd LUX            FIL            11,108,719
JP Morgan, Bournemouth                FIL            404,950
Bank of New York Brussels             FIL            331,000
Northern Trust London                 FIL            140,500
JP Morgan, Bournemouth                FIL            119,600
State Str BK and TR Co Lndn           FIL            112,588
Morgan Stanley London                 FIL            57,799
Bank of New York Europe Ldn           FII            1,423,325
JP Morgan, Bournemouth                FIJ            108,208
State Street Bank and TR Co           FICL           120,800
State Street Hong Kong                FIA(K)L        9,600

5. Number of shares / amount of stock acquired

N/A

6. Percentage of issued class

N/A

7. Number of shares / amount of stock disposed

N/A

8. Percentage of issued class

N/A

9. Class of security

Ordinary Shares of 5 15/22 pence each

10. Date of transaction

N/A

11. Date company informed

17 January 2006

12. Total holding following this notification

31,974,664 ordinary shares of 10p each

13. Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification

4.04%

14. Any additional information

Shares in issue as at 17 January 2006 - 791,674,183

15. Name of contact and telephone number for queries

Simon Smith - 020 7399 6500

16. Name of authorised company official responsible for making this notification

Simon Smith
Assistant Company Secretary
Associated British Foods plc

18 January 2006

www.abf.co.uk






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