Acquisition

Bunzl PLC
10 May 2004

                                                                     10 May 2004

          BUNZL EXTENDS ITS OUTSOURCING SERVICES BUSINESS INTO FRANCE

Bunzl plc, the international distribution and outsourcing Group, today announces
that it has purchased Groupe Pierre Le Goff, a leading distributor of cleaning
and safety products in France, through the acquisition of PLG Finances SA.

A private company based at Quimper in Brittany, Groupe Pierre Le Goff has grown
rapidly through acquisition and organically from a base as a regional cleaning &
hygiene supplies distributor in the early 1990s to become a leading national
French player in cleaning & hygiene supplies and also safety supplies & personal
protection equipment. These businesses are similar to Bunzl's existing
operations in Outsourcing Services and are highly complementary in terms of both
customer base and international supplier relationships. Their rapid growth
during the last ten years has been similar to that of Bunzl Outsourcing Services
in northern Europe during the same period.

Pro forma results of Groupe Pierre Le Goff for the year ended 31 December 2003
(including the full year results for 2003 of companies that it has bought during
2004) were sales of €421.5 million and operating profit before goodwill
amortisation of €35.4 million. Under Bunzl's ownership and accounting policies,
operating profit before goodwill amortisation on an annualised basis is expected
to be at a similar level in 2004. The cash consideration paid was €236 million.
In addition, Bunzl has assumed net debt estimated at completion to have been
about €94 million. The audited accounts of PLG Finances SA for the year ended 
31 December 2003 show sales of €360.7 million, profit before tax of €24.5 million
and shareholders' funds of €73.8 million.

Commenting on the acquisition, Anthony Habgood, Chairman of Bunzl said:

'I am delighted that Groupe Pierre Le Goff has joined Outsourcing Services in
Europe and that M & Mme Le Goff have agreed to remain with the business to
develop it further in France and also to help us develop into southern Europe.
This is an earnings enhancing acquisition which is also an important strategic
move as it increases our European business by approximately one third and
establishes a strong platform in a key European market at a time when the
internationalisation of customers and suppliers is continuing. With this
acquisition we now have a strong position in France to complement our existing
positions in the UK, Benelux, Germany, Denmark and Ireland and it reinforces
Bunzl as the logical choice for international customers and suppliers.'

Enquiries:

Bunzl plc:                                         Finsbury:
Anthony Habgood, Chairman                          Roland Rudd
David Williams, Finance Director                   Gordon Simpson
Tel: [phone]                                 Tel: [phone]


                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange