Italy, Rome: S.p.A. Birra Peroni, a subsidiary of SABMiller plc., announced on October 8th 2004 that, following a review of its production capability in Italy, its Naples brewery is to close. The decision to close the brewery was communicated to the employees of the plant today, in addition to the trade unions and the redundancy procedure has begun.

The closure reflects the increasingly competitive nature of the beer market in Italy and the need to balance the industrial and commercial priorities of the Company to ensure the future efficiency and long-term prosperity of Birra Peroni.

12 October, 2004