TR-1(i): NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTERESTS IN SHARES

1. Identity of the issuer or the underlying issuer of existing shares to which voting rights are attached (ii):

DS Smith Plc

2. Reason for the notification:

An acquisition or disposal of voting rights: ( X )

An acquisition or disposal of qualifying financial instruments which may result in the acquisition of shares already issued to which voting rights are attached: ( )

An acquisition or disposal of instruments with similar economic effect to qualifying financial instruments ( )

An event changing the breakdown of voting rights: ( )

Other (please specify): ( )

3. Full name of person(s) subject to the notification obligation (iii):

Aviva plc & its subsidiaries

4. Full name of shareholder(s) (if different from 3.)

Registered Holder:

Available on request 31,899*

BNY Norwich Union Nominees Limited 1,712,899*

Chase (GA Group) Nominees Limited 22,961,126*

Chase Nominees Limited 295,911*

CUIM Nominee Limited 601,173*

State Street Nominees Limited 21,837,202*
* denotes direct interest

BNP Paribas - London 439,040

Chase (GA Group) Nominees Limited 581,930

Chase Nominees Limited 3,196,411

Vidacos Nominees Limited 4,225,973

5. Date of the transaction (and date on which the threshold is crossed or reached if different) (v):

17 March 2016

6. Date on which issuer notified:

18 March 2016

7. Threshold(s) that is/are crossed or reached:

4% to 5% Change at Direct Interest Level (Box 8A)

8. Notified details:

A: Voting rights attached to shares

Class/type of
shares

if possible using
the ISIN CODE

Situation previous
to the triggering
transaction

Resulting situation after the triggering transaction

Number
of
Shares

Number
of
Voting
Rights

Number
of shares

Number of voting
rights

% of voting rights

Direct

Direct

Indirect

Direct

Indirect

Ordinary Shares

GB0008220112

55,738,964*

55,738,964*

55,883,564

47,440,210

8,443,354

5.02%

0.89%

*INC. RIGHT TO RECALL LOANED SHARES (3,743,614)

B: Qualifying Financial Instruments

Resulting situation after the triggering transaction

Type of financial
instrument

Expiration
date

Exercise/
Conversion Period

Number of voting
rights that may be
acquired if the
instrument is
exercised/ converted.

% of voting
rights

RIGHT TO RECALL LOANED SHARES

N/A

N/A

3,743,614 *

* Direct Interest

0.40%

C: Financial Instruments with similar economic effect to Qualifying Financial Instruments

Resulting situation after the triggering transaction

Type of financial
instrument

Exercise price

Expiration date

Exercise/
Conversion period

Number of voting rights instrument refers to

% of voting rights

Nominal

Delta

Total (A+B+C)

Number of voting rights

Percentage of voting rights

59,627,178

6.31%

9. Chain of controlled undertakings through which the voting rights and/or the financial instruments are effectively held, if applicable

The voting rights are managed and controlled by Aviva Investors Global Services Limited and FriendsProvident International Limited, with the following chains of controlled undertakings:-

Aviva Investors Global Services Limited:

· Aviva plc (Parent Company)

· Aviva Group Holdings Limited (wholly owned subsidiary of Aviva plc)

· Aviva Investors Holdings Limited (wholly owned subsidiary of Aviva Group Holdings Limited)

· Aviva Investors Global Services Limited (wholly owned subsidiary of Aviva Investors Holdings Limited)

Friends Provident International Limited:

· Aviva plc (Parent Company)

· Aviva Group Holdings Limited (wholly owned subsidiary of Aviva plc)

· Aviva Life Holdings UK Limited (wholly owned subsidiary of Aviva Group Holdings Limited)

· Friends Life FPG Limited (wholly owned subsidiary of Aviva Life Holdings UK Limited)

· Friends Life FPL Limited (wholly owned subsidiary of Friends Life FPG Limited)

· Friends Life Limited (wholly owned subsidiary of Friends Life FPL Limited)

· Friends Life and Pensions Limited (wholly owned subsidiary of Friends Life Limited)

· Friends Provident International Limited (wholly owned subsidiary of Friends Life and Pensions Limited)

Proxy Voting:

10. Name of the proxy holder: See Section 4

11. Number of voting rights proxy holder will cease to hold:

12. Date on which proxy holder will cease to hold voting rights:

13. Additional information:

Figures are based on the total number of voting rights of 944,761,703, as per the Company's announcement of 1 March 2016.

14. Contact name:

Neil Whittaker, Aviva plc

15. Contact telephone number:
01603 684420

Identity of the notifier, if applicable (xvii)

Full name:

Michael Hampson

Contact address:

DS Smith Plc, 7 Floor, 350 Euston Road, London NW1 3AX

Phone number:

020 7756 1800

DS Smith plc issued this content on 21 March 2016 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 21 March 2016 09:43:18 UTC

Original Document: http://ww7.investorrelations.co.uk/dssmith/regulatorynews_item.jsp?ric=SMDS.L.TK&ref=108282