Transaction in Own Shares

Next PLC
13 December 2004


Next plc


Off-market purchases by way of contingent purchase contract by the Company of
ordinary shares for cancellation


Next plc announces today that, pursuant to the authority granted at the
Extraordinary General Meeting of the Company's shareholders on 29 November 2004,
it has entered into a contingent forward purchase contract with Goldman Sachs
International today under which it may acquire up to a maximum of 1,350,000
ordinary shares for cancellation at a price of 1573.6 pence per share in the
period up to 11 July 2005.

This announcement does not constitute, or form part of, an offer or any
solicitation of an offer for securities in any jurisdiction.


A J R McKinlay
Company Secretary
Next plc


Editorial note:

Under the contingent contract, the Company may purchase a fixed number of shares
each week (other than in the weeks commencing 20, 27 December 2004 and 4 January
2005), in the period to 11 July 2005, at a fixed price that is at a discount to
the market price prevailing at the start of the contract period. The contract is
contingent in that it would terminate early, and no further shares would be
purchased, if the Company's share price increases to a pre-determined suspension
level during the contract period. This suspension level has been set at the
start of the contract and is between 104% and 110% of the Company's share price
at the start of the contract.



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