Rule 8.1- (Alliance Boots)

RNS Number:8433S
Merrill Lynch International
13 March 2007


                                                                            FORM
      8.1

          DEALINGS BY OFFERORS, OFFEREE COMPANIES OR THEIR ASSOCIATES

                  FOR THEMSELVES OR FOR DISCRETIONARY CLIENTS

                 (Rules 8.1(a) and (b)(i) of the Takeover Code)





1.         KEY INFORMATION


Name of person dealing (Note 1)                Merrill Lynch International
Company dealt in                               Alliance Boots Plc


Class of relevant security to which the        37 7/39p ordinary
dealings being disclosed relate (Note 2)

Date of dealing                                12th March 2007






2.         INTERESTS, SHORT POSITIONS AND RIGHTS TO SUBSCRIBE



(a)        Interests and short positions (following dealing) in the class of
relevant security dealt in (Note 3)


                                                             Long                              Short


                                               Number                           Number
                                                          (%)                              (%)

(1) Relevant securities                        1,468,984 (0.15%)                0


(2) Derivatives (other than options)           0                                0


(3) Options and agreements to purchase/sell    0                                0


Total                                          0                                0





(b)        Interests and short positions in relevant securities of the company,
other than the class dealt in (Note 3)


Class of relevant security:                                  Long                              Short


                                               Number                           Number
                                                          (%)                              (%)

(1) Relevant securities                        0                                0


(2) Derivatives (other than options)           0                                0


(3) Options and agreements to purchase/sell    0                                0


Total                                          0                                0





(c)        Rights to subscribe (Note 3)


Class of relevant security:                    Details









3.         DEALINGS (Note 4)



(a)        Purchases and sales


Purchase/sale                  Number of securities         Price per unit (Note 5)


Sale                                                  2,783                       9.84 GBP
Sale                                                100,000                       9.85 GBP
Sale                                                162,500                       9.86 GBP
Sale                                                 50,000                       9.87 GBP
Sale                                                112,663                       9.88 GBP
Sale                                                400,000                        9.9 GBP
Sale                                                572,540                       9.91 GBP
Sale                                                250,000                       9.92 GBP
Sale                                                100,000                       9.93 GBP
Sale                                                100,000                       9.98 GBP
Sale                                                300,000                       9.99 GBP
Sale                                                664,000                         10 GBP
Sale                                                 99,476                      10.02 GBP



 (b)       Derivatives transactions (other than options)


Product name,         Long/short (Note 6)       Number of securities (Note 7)        Price per unit (Note 5)

e.g. CFD










(c)        Options transactions in respect of existing securities

(i)         Writing, selling, purchasing or varying


Product name,         Writing, selling, Number of securities  Exercise   Type, e.g.      Expiry     Option money
                        purchasing,     to which the option              American,
e.g. call option      varying etc.      relates (Note 7)      price      European etc.   date       paid/received per
                                                                                                    unit (Note 5)







(ii)        Exercising


Product name, e.g. call option         Number of securities                  Exercise price per unit (Note 5)






(d)        Other dealings (including new securities) (Note 4)


Nature of transaction (Note 8)         Details                               Price per unit (if applicable) (Note 5)
















4.         OTHER INFORMATION



Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives




Full details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding between the person disclosing and any other person relating
to the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option referred to on this form or relating to the voting
rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative referred to on this form is
referenced.  If none, this should be stated.
none









Is a Supplemental Form 8 attached? (Note 9)
            NO




Date of disclosure                                                13th March 2007

Contact name                                                      A. Coutts-Britton

Telephone number                                                  020 7996 1000

Name of offeree/offeror with which associated                     Alliance Boots Plc
Specify category and nature of associate status (Note 10)         2






Notes



The Notes on Form 8.1 can be viewed on the Takeover Panel's website at
www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk






































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