RNS Number:3588T
Woolworths Group PLC
17 December 2003


                           SCHEDULE 10
 
             NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTERESTS IN SHARES


1)   NAME OF COMPANY

     WOOLWORTHS GROUP PLC


2)   NAME OF SHAREHOLDER HAVING A MAJOR INTEREST

     AXA S.A.


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

     BOTH BENEFICIAL AND NON-BENEFICIAL

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

     SEE SCHEDULE BELOW


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

     NOT STATED

8)   Percentage of issued Class

     N/A

9)   Class of security

     ORDINARY SHARES OF 12.5P EACH


10)  Date of transaction

     NOT STATED


11)  Date company informed

     16/12/03


12)  Total holding following this notification

     127,217,161

               
13)  Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification

     9.00% ( 6.95% BENEFICIAL
           ( 2.05% NON-BENEFICIAL

14)  Any additional information
     
     DECREASE IN BENEFICIAL INTEREST

15)  Name of contact and telephone number for queries

     JONATHAN BLOOM 
     0207 706 5033


16)  Name and signature of authorised company official responsible for 
     making this notification

     Date of Notification      17 DECEMBER 2003




                      DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST IN SHARES OF
            APPENDIX - NOTICE UNDER SECTION 198 OF THE COMPANIES ACT 1985
                    WOOLWORTHS GROUP PLC ORD GBP0.125 shares

Total number of shares held as at 24/11/03 was 127,217,161 the breakdown of 
which is set out below:
                                                           
Name of the                Number of  Particulars of        Registered as
Company/Fund                  Shares  Beneficial owners     

AXA UK Investment Co ICVC    165,000  Trustees of AXA UK    HSBC Global Custody
Extra Income Fund                     Investment Co ICVC    Nominee (UK) Limited
(Non-Beneficial)                      Extra Income Fund     a/c 845030
                          
AXA UK Investment Co ICVC     19,414  Trustees of AXA UK    HSBC Global Custody
Ethical Fund                          Investment Co ICVC    Nominee (UK) Limited
(Non-Beneficial)                      Ethical Fund          a/c 845042

AXA UK Investment Co ICVC 15,000,000  Trustees of AXA UK    HSBC Global Custody
UK Equity Income Fund                 Investment Co ICVC    Nominee (UK) Limited
(Non-Beneficial)                      UK Equity Income Fund a/c 845017

AXA UK Investment Co ICVC  5,000,000  Trustees of AXA UK    HSBC Global Custody
UK Opportunities Fund                 Investment Co ICVC    Nominee (UK) Limited
(Non-Beneficial)                      UK Opportunities Fund a/c 889598

AXA UK Investment Co ICVC    100,581  Trustees of AXA UK    Chase Nominees Ltd
Global Distribution Fund              Investment Co ICVC    a/c 17336
(Non-Beneficial)                      Global Distribution   
                                      Fund        

AXA UK Investment Co ICVC    186,840  Trustees of AXA UK    Chase Nominees Ltd
Global Growth Fund                    Investment Co ICVC    a/c 17260
(Non-Beneficial)                      Global Growth Fund     

Sun Life Nominees Ltd        482,990  Trustees of the       HSBC Global Custody
A/c 18                                WABCO Automotive UK   Nominee (UK) Limited
(Non-Beneficial)                      Pensions Sche         a/c 777086     

Sun Life Nominees Ltd       270,083   Trustees of the       HSBC Global Custody
A/c 20                                Princes Pension       Nominee (UK) Limited
(Non-Beneficial)                      Scheme                a/c 777094
                                      Princes Food Ltd      

Sun Life Nominees Ltd       505,372   Trustees of the       HSBC Global Custody
A/c 29                                Cobham Pension Plan   Nominee (UK) Limited
(Non-Beneficial)                                            a/c 777167

Sun Life Nominees Ltd        79,399   Trustees of the       HSBC Global Custody
A/c 31                                Princes (1977)        Nominee (UK) Limited
(Non-Beneficial)                      Pension Scheme        a/c 785078
                                      Princes Food Ltd

Sun Life Nominees Ltd       137,560   Eldridge Pope Pension HSBC Global Custody
A/c 32                                Fund                  Nominee (UK) Limited
(Non-Beneficial)                                            a/c 873426
                  
Sun Life Pensions           750,000   Sun Life Pensions     HSBC Global Custody
Management Ltd                        Management Ltd        Nominee (UK) Limited
(Beneficial)                                                a/c ?

Sun Life Pensions         7,761,805   Sun Life Pensions     HSBC Global Custody
Management Ltd                        Management Ltd        Nominee (UK) Limited
(Beneficial)                                                a/c 867815

Sun Life Pensions            97,310   Sun Life Pensions     HSBC Global Custody
Management Ltd                        Management Ltd        Nominee (UK) Limited
(Beneficial)                                                a/c 904009

Sun Life Pensions        10,200,000   Sun Life Pensions     HSBC Global Custody
Management Ltd A/c X                  Management Ltd        Nominee (UK) Limited
(Beneficial)                                                a/c 867396

Sun Life Pensions        29,638,415   Sun Life Pensions     HSBC Global Custody
Management Ltd A/c X                  Management Ltd        Nominee (UK) Limited
(Beneficial)                                                a/c 867372

Sun Life Pensions           313,677   Sun Life Pensions     HSBC Global Custody
Management Ltd A/c X                  Management Ltd        Nominee (UK) Limited
(Beneficial)                                                a/c 887553
     
Sun Life Pensions           351,626   Sun Life Pensions     HSBC Global Custody
Management Ltd A/c X                  Management Ltd        Nominee (UK) Limited
(Beneficial)                                                a/c 887565

Sun Life Pensions           384,461   Sun Life Pensions     HSBC Global Custody
Management Ltd A/c X                  Management Ltd        Nominee (UK) Limited
(Beneficial)                                                a/c 887577

Sun Life Pensions           378,856   Sun Life Pensions     HSBC Global Custody
Management Ltd A/c X                  Management Ltd        Nominee (UK) Limited
(Beneficial)                                                a/c 887589

Sun Life Pensions           359,856   Sun Life Pensions     HSBC Global Custody
Management Ltd A/c X                  Management Ltd        Nominee (UK) Limited
(Beneficial)                                                a/c 887589

Sun Life Pensions           359,702   Sun Life Pensions     HSBC Global Custody
Management Ltd A/c X                  Management Ltd        Nominee (UK) Limited
(Beneficial)                                                a/c 887590

Sun Life Pensions           282,766   Sun Life Pensions     HSBC Global Custody
Management Ltd A/c X                  Management Ltd        Nominee (UK) Limited
(Beneficial)                                                a/c 887607

Sun Life Pensions           257,053   Sun Life Pensions     HSBC Global Custody
Management Ltd A/c X                  Management Ltd        Nominee (UK) Limited
(Beneficial)                                                a/c 887619

Sun Life Assurance       17,397,784   Sun Life Assurance    HSBC Global Custody
Society Plc                           Society Plc           Nominee (UK) Limited
(Beneficial)                                                a/c 776934

Sun Life Unit Assurance     600,000   Sun Life Unit         HSBC Global Custody
Ltd A/c X                             Assurance Ltd         Nominee (UK) Limited
(Beneficial)                                                a/c 867116

Sun Life Unit Assurance   2,897,982   Sun Life Unit         HSBC Global Custody
Ltd A/c X                             Assurance Ltd         Nominee (UK) Limited
(Beneficial)                                                a/c 867050

Sun Life Pensions            21,850   Sun Life Pensions     Smith & Williamson
Management Ltd                        Management Ltd        Nominees Ltd
(Beneficial)                                                a/c S66

Sun Life Pensions           454,662   Sun Life Pensions     BNY (OCS) Nominees
Management Ltd                        Management Ltd        Limited
(Beneficial)            

AXA Colonia Konzem        1,734,595   (Registration details
(Beneficial)                          available on request)

AXA Colonia Konzem           63,556   (Registration details
(Beneficial)                          available on request)

AXA Sun Life plc         24,328,592   Axa Sun Life Plc      Axa Sun Life Plc
(fmly Axa Equity & Law                (fmly Axa Equity & Law
Life Assurance Society                Life Assurance Society
plc)                                  plc)
(Beneficial)

AXA UK Group Pension      9,688,275   AXA UK Group Pension  Chase Nominees Ltd
Scheme Equity Fund                    Scheme                a/c 00994   
(Non-Beneficial)                      Equity Fund

AXA Ireland Pension Fund     12,771   AXA Ireland Pension   Chase Nominees Ltd
(Non-Beneficial)                      Fund                  a/c 21652


AXA Financial, Inc          256,573   AXA Rosenberg
(Non-Beneficial)                      


                                      Holding as % of Issued Capital
Total Beneficial                     
 Interest                98,211,136               6.95

Total Non-Beneficial
 Interest                29,006,025               2.05
                       
               Total    127,217,161               9.00%
                       



* AXA FINANCIAL INCLUDES HOLDINGS FOR ALLIANCE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LP
Alliance Capital Management LP ("Alliance Capital") is an investment advisor
registered under the Investment Advisors Act of 1940.  Alliance Capital provides
investment advisory services to corporate employee benefit plans subject to the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ("ERISA"), public employee
retirement systems,  Investment companies and separate accounts registered under
the Investment Company Act of 1940, foundations, endowment funds, tax-exempt
organizations, and other institutional investors and individuals.  Alliance
Capital manages investment assets on behalf of its clients which confers upon
it, among other things, the right to vote on behalf of its clients.  Under the
federal securities laws, the right to vote on behalf of its clients.  Under the
federal securities laws, the right to vote or make investment decisions with
respect to a security (even if such right is constrained by fiduciary duties and
does not carry with if any pecuniary interest in the securities) is enough to
confer beneficial ownership on the security on a person.  Any shares deemed
beneficially owned by Alliance Capital were acquired solely for investment
purposes in the ordinary course and not for the purpose or intent of influencing
control over the issuer.
                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

END
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