RNS Number:1831N
Alba PLC
04 July 2003





Alba plc ("Alba")



Purchase of Alba plc shares by the ESOP Trust



On 3 July 2003 the Alba Trust purchased 80,000 Alba ordinary shares at 495p.
These purchases represent 0.16% of Alba's ordinary share capital. After this
transaction the ESOP holds 302,815 shares in Alba. This transaction was notified
to Alba today.

The shares held by the ESOP Trust are held for beneficiaries who include, inter
alia, directors and employees of the Company and its subsidiaries. Therefore,
the Company's Executive Directors, being members of a class of potential
beneficiaries of the ESOP, are, to that extent, interested in all the Company's
ordinary shares acquired by the ESOP and not allocated. The Directors concerned
are John Eric Harris MBE, Daniel Bruce Harris, Andrew David Rose, Paul John
Cannon and Anthony Coda.









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

END
RDSEAAXLEEKDEFE