Sainsbury's Regulatory News (SBRY)

J Sainsbury plc

(the 'Company')

2020 Annual General Meeting

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS IMPORTANT AND REQUIRES YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION.

The Company had previously communicated in its 2020 Notice of Annual General Meeting ('Notice') on 29 May 2020, that its 2020 Annual General Meeting ('AGM') will be held at 11:00am on Thursday, 2 July 2020 at the Company's registered office, 33 Holborn, London EC1N 2HT.

In light of the COVID-19 situation and the UK Government measures that restrict non-essential travel and public gatherings, save for limited purposes, the Board has decided to close the meeting to shareholders. Shareholders attempting to attend the physical AGM will regrettably be refused entry. The Board believes this approach is necessary and appropriate due to the current UK Government measures to limit contact with other people, and to protect the health and wellbeing of our shareholders and colleagues. The health and safety of our shareholders and colleagues is our priority in making the arrangements for the meeting, and we would urge our shareholders to do their part. Further details of the current government measures relating to COVID-19 can be found at www.gov.uk/coronavirus.

The AGM will be held with the minimum number of persons present to be quorate and in order to enable the business of the AGM to be conducted. The meeting will include only the formal business of the AGM to comply with the relevant legal requirements and, once this is concluded, we will hold a question and answer session as described below. There will be no presentations at this year's AGM.

We appreciate that the AGM is an opportunity for shareholders to express their views directly to the Board and, despite these necessary changes to the format of the AGM, the Board is keen to ensure that shareholders continue to have opportunities to engage with them.

To support engagement with our shareholders in these exceptional circumstances, shareholders are invited to listen to the AGM proceedings. Following the conclusion of the formal business of the AGM, members of the Board intend to respond to pre-submitted questions. To submit a question ahead of the AGM, please email AGM@sainsburys.co.uk by 6:30pm on Tuesday, 30 June 2020. We will prioritise pre-submitted questions at the meeting, and if there is sufficient time, shareholders will be able to use the telephone facility to ask questions that have not been addressed. The Board's responses to the key themes from shareholders' questions will be published on our website as soon as is practicable after the AGM, and for a period of 30 days after the AGM.

Any such shareholder participation via the telephone facility will not constitute formal attendance at the AGM and shareholders will not be able to vote on any resolutions. We, therefore, encourage you to register your vote in advance of the meeting in accordance with the Notice and your shareholder correspondence. Given the restrictions on attendance in person, shareholders are encouraged to appoint the chair of the meeting as their proxy, rather than a named person who will not be permitted to attend the physical meeting. Proxy instructions must be received by Equiniti by 11.00am on Tuesday, 30 June 2020. 

Your Directors are of the opinion that all resolutions which are to be proposed at the AGM are in the best interests of the Company and shareholders and therefore unanimously recommend that you vote in favour of the resolutions, as they intend to do in respect of any shares which they beneficially own. The voting results of all resolutions proposed at the AGM will be announced as soon as possible after the meeting.

The telephone details for shareholders to listen to the meeting are below. Please note that to use the telephone facility you will need your Shareholder Reference Number (Username), which can be found on your Proxy Form or other correspondence regarding your shareholding.

 Conference ID: 4541788

If you have any further queries about the telephone facility, please contact Equiniti at Aspect House, Spencer Road, Lancing BN99 6DA, or on the J Sainsbury plc Shareholder Helpline on 0333 207 6557 (UK calls) or +44 (0) 121 415 0959 (international calls). Lines are open from 9.00am to 5.00pm (UK time), Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays in England and Wales.

Your Board would like to take this opportunity to thank all shareholders for your continued support in these exceptional circumstances and wish you well during this time as we all navigate the implications of COVID-19. Thank you for your understanding as we all work together to keep everyone safe and support our customers, colleagues and you, our shareholders.

Enquiries

Investor Relations: James Collins +44 (0) 20 7695 0080

Media: Rebecca Reilly +44 (0) 20 7695 7295