Purchase of Own Securities

St. Ives PLC
27 July 2001

                                  St Ives plc
                          Purchase of Own Securities


St Ives plc announces that on 26 July 2001, it purchased for cancellation
260,000 of its ordinary shares from ABN AMRO Hoare Govett at a price of 412p
per ordinary share.


Contacts:

Miles Emley      Chairman            St Ives plc       020 7928 8844
Brian Edwards    Managing Director   St Ives plc       020 7928 8844
Jeremy Thompson  ABN AMRO Hoare Govett                 020 7678 8000