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THIS DOCUMENT IS IMPORTANT AND REQUIRES YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. If you are in any doubt as to the contents of this document and what action you should take, you are recommended to seek your own personal financial, legal and tax advice immediately from your stockbroker, bank manager, solicitor, accountant, fund manager or other appropriate independent financial adviser duly authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended), if you are resident in the United Kingdom, or, if resident elsewhere, another appropriately authorised independent financial adviser in the relevant jurisdiction.

IDS Shareholders should read the whole of this document (including all information incorporated into this document by reference to another source). In addition, this document should be read in conjunction with the accompanying documentation.

If you sell or otherwise transfer or have sold or otherwise transferred all of your IDS Shares (other than to Bidco pursuant to the Offer), please forward this document with the accompanying documentation (other than any documents or forms personalised to you), immediately to the purchaser or transferee, or to the stockbroker, bank or other agent through whom the sale or transfer was effected, for onward transmission to the purchaser or transferee. However, this document and any accompanying document must not be forwarded, distributed or transmitted in, into or from any Restricted Jurisdiction.

If you sell or otherwise transfer or have sold or otherwise transferred only part of your registered holding of IDS Shares, you should retain these documents and consult the stockbroker, bank or other agent through whom the sale or transfer was effected. If you have recently purchased or otherwise been transferred IDS Shares in certificated form, notwithstanding receipt of this document from the transferor, you should contact Equiniti through the Shareholder Helpline to obtain a personalised Form of Acceptance if not otherwise received.

If you have any questions about this document or the accompanying documents, or are in any doubt as to how to complete the Form of Acceptance (if you hold IDS Shares in certificated form) or as to how to make an Electronic Acceptance (if you hold IDS Shares in uncertificated form), or make an online instruction via the Nominee Share Service (if you hold IDS Shares via the Nominee Share Service), or wish to obtain an additional Form of Acceptance, please review the FAQs at https://idsoffer.shareview.infobefore contacting the Shareholder Helpline. The Shareholder Helpline is operated by Equiniti on +44 (0) 333 207 6505 between 8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. (London time) Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays in England and Wales). For deaf and speech impaired shareholders, calls can be made via Relay UK. Please see www.relayuk.bt.comfor more information. Please note that Equiniti cannot provide any financial, legal or tax advice and that calls may be recorded and monitored for security and training purposes. Calls are charged at the standard geographic rate and will vary by provider. Calls outside the UK will be charged at the applicable international rate.

IDS SIP Participants who have any questions about this document or the accompanying documents, or are in any doubt as to how to complete the online instruction should please review the letter sent to IDS SIP Participants and the FAQs which can both be found at https://idsoffer.shareview.infobefore contacting the SIP Shareholder Helpline. The SIP Shareholder Helpline is operated by Equiniti at Equiniti Limited, Aspect House, Spencer Road, Lancing, West Sussex BN99 6DA, United Kingdom, on +44 (0) 330 123 0058 between 8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. (London time) Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays in England and Wales). For deaf and speech impaired shareholders, calls can be made via Relay UK. Please see www.relayuk.bt.comfor more information. Please note that Equiniti cannot provide any financial, legal or tax advice and calls may be recorded and monitored for security and training purposes. Calls are charged at the standard geographic rate and will vary by provider. Calls outside the UK will be charged at the applicable international rate.

Neither this document nor any of the accompanying documents do, or are intended to, constitute or form part of any offer or invitation to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of, any securities or the

solicitation of any vote or approval, in any jurisdiction in which such offer, invitation or solicitation is unlawful. The release, publication or distribution of this document and/or the accompanying documents (in whole or in part) in or into jurisdictions other than the United Kingdom may be restricted by the laws of those jurisdictions and therefore persons into whose possession this document and/or any accompanying document comes should inform themselves about, and observe, any applicable restrictions. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws and regulations of any such jurisdiction. In particular, this document should not be released, published, distributed, forwarded or transmitted, in whole or in part, in, into or from any Restricted Jurisdiction.

Recommended Cash Offer

for

International Distribution Services plc

by

EP UK Bidco Limited

(a newly formed company owned indirectly by (i) EP Corporate Group, a.s. ("EP") and

(ii) J&T Capital Partners, a.s. ("J&T"))

to be implemented by means of a takeover offer under Part 28 of the Companies Act

Your attention is drawn to the letter from the Chair of IDS which contains the unanimous recommendation of the IDS Directors that you accept or procure the acceptance of the Offer and which is set out in Part 2 (Letter from the Chair of International Distribution Services plc) of this document.

The procedure for acceptance of the Offer is set out in paragraph 17 of Part 1 (Letter from EP UK Bidco Limited) of this document and in respect of IDS Shares held in certificated form, in the Form of Acceptance. To accept the Offer in respect of IDS Shares held in certificated form, you must complete and return the accompanying Form of Acceptance as soon as possible and, in any event, so as to be received by the Receiving Agent by no later than 1.00 p.m. (London time) on the Unconditional Date in accordance with paragraph 17 of Part 1 (Letter from EP UK Bidco Limited) or paragraph 1 of Part C of Part 3 (Conditions to and further terms of the Acquisition) of this document. Acceptances in respect of IDS Shares held in uncertificated form should be made electronically through CREST so that the TTE instruction settles by no later than 1.00 p.m. (London time) on the Unconditional Date in accordance with paragraph 17

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of Part 1 (Letter from EP UK Bidco Limited) or paragraph 1 of Part C of Part 3 (Conditions to and further terms of the Acquisition) of this document. If you are a CREST sponsored member, you should refer to your CREST sponsor as only your CREST sponsor will be able to send the necessary TTE instruction to Euroclear. If you hold your IDS Shares via the Nominee Share Service or within the IDS SIP, your acceptance instruction must be registered online so as to be received by the Nominee or the SIP Trustee (as applicable) by no later than 1.00 p.m. (London time) three Business Days prior to the Unconditional Date. If the Offer becomes or is declared Unconditional, Bidco will keep the Offer open for acceptances for at least 14 days following the Unconditional Date. Please refer to the Expected Timetable of Principal Events on page 12 for indicative dates and times of key events (including payment dates) relating to the Offer.

Subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the Conditions and certain further terms as set out in Part 3 (Conditions to and further terms of the Acquisition) it is currently expected that the Unconditional Date will occur in the first quarter of 2025.

The Offer can be accepted from 26 June 2024 and will continue to be capable of acceptance until the Offer is closed. IDS Shareholders are encouraged to ACCEPT the Offer as soon as possible and in any event before 1.00 p.m. on 25 August 2024, which is Day 60 as at the date of this document.

Bidco will give at least 14 days' notice before the Offer is closed for acceptances. Such notice will be given to IDS Shareholders by announcement through a Regulatory Information Service, with such announcement being made available on IDS' website at www.internationaldistributionservices.com.

Definitions used in this document are as defined in Part 8 (Definitions) of this document unless defined elsewhere herein or the context requires otherwise. IDS Shareholders may request hard copy forms of these documents.

Barclays Bank PLC, acting through its Investment Bank ("Barclays"), which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority, is acting exclusively for IDS and no one else in connection with the subject matter of this document and will not be responsible to anyone other than IDS for providing the protections afforded to clients of Barclays nor for providing advice in relation to the subject matter of this document. In accordance with the Takeover Code, normal United Kingdom market practice and Rule 14e-5(b) of the U.S. Exchange Act, Barclays and its affiliates will continue to act as exempt principal traders in IDS securities on the London Stock Exchange. These purchases and activities by exempt principal traders which are required to be made public in the United Kingdom pursuant to the Takeover Code will be reported to a Regulatory Information Service and will be available on the London Stock Exchange website at www.londonstockexchange.com. This information will also be publicly disclosed in the United States to the extent that such information is made public in the United Kingdom.

Merrill Lynch International ("BofA Securities"), which is authorised by the UK Prudential Regulatory Authority and regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority and the UK Prudential Regulatory Authority, is acting exclusively for IDS and for no one else in connection with the matters referred to in this document and will not be responsible to anyone other than IDS for providing the protections afforded to its clients or for providing advice in relation to the matters referred to in this document.

Goldman Sachs International ("Goldman Sachs"), which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority in the United Kingdom, is acting exclusively for IDS and no one else in connection with the matters referred to in this document. Neither Goldman Sachs nor its affiliates, nor their respective partners, directors, officers, employees or agents are responsible to anyone other than IDS for providing the protections afforded to clients of Goldman Sachs International, or for providing advice in relation to the matters referred to in this document.

BNP Paribas is authorised and regulated by the European Central Bank and the Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel et de Résolution. BNP Paribas is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and is subject to regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority and limited regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority. Details about the extent of BNP Paribas' regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority are available from BNP Paribas on request. BNP Paribas has its registered office at 16 Boulevard des Italiens, 75009 Paris, France and is registered with the Companies Registry of Paris under number 662 042 449 RCS and has ADEME identification number FR200182_03KLJ. BNP Paribas London Branch is registered in the UK under number FC13447 and UK establishment number BR000170, and its UK establishment office address is 10 Harewood Avenue, London NW1 6AA. BNP Paribas is acting as financial adviser exclusively for EP, J&T and Bidco and no one else in connection with the matters described in this document and will not be responsible to anyone other than EP, J&T or Bidco for providing the protections afforded to clients of BNP Paribas or for providing advice in relation to the matters described in this document or any transaction or arrangement referred to herein.

Citigroup Global Markets Europe AG, which is regulated by the European Central Bank and the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht - BaFin) and Bundesbank, ("Citi") is acting as financial adviser for EP, J&T and Bidco and for no one else in connection with the matters described in this document and the Acquisition and will not be responsible to anyone other than EP, J&T and Bidco for providing the protections afforded to clients of Citi nor for providing advice in connection with the Acquisition, or any other matters referred to in this document. Neither Citi nor any of its affiliates, directors or employees owes or accepts any duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or indirect, consequential, whether in contract, in tort, in delict, under statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client of Citi in connection with this document, any statement contained herein, the Acquisition or otherwise.

J.P. Morgan SE, together with its affiliate J.P. Morgan Securities plc, which conducts its UK investment banking business as J.P. Morgan Cazenove ("J.P. Morgan Cazenove"), is authorised in the United Kingdom by the PRA and regulated in the United Kingdom by the PRA and the FCA (together, "J.P. Morgan"). J.P. Morgan is acting as financial adviser exclusively to EP, J&T and Bidco and no one else in connection with the Acquisition and will not regard any other person as its client in relation to the Acquisition and will not be responsible to anyone other than EP, J&T or Bidco for providing the protections afforded to clients of J.P. Morgan or its affiliates, nor for providing advice in relation to the Acquisition or any other matter or arrangement referred to herein.

No person has been authorised to give any information or make any representations other than those contained in this document and, if given or made, such information or representations must not be relied upon as having been authorised by IDS, the IDS Directors, Bidco, the Bidco Directors or by Barclays, BofA Securities, Goldman Sachs, BNP Paribas, Citi or J.P. Morgan or any other person involved in the Acquisition.

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IMPORTANT NOTICES

The contents of this document are not to be construed as legal, business, financial or tax advice. If you are in any doubt about the contents of this document, you should consult your own legal adviser, financial adviser or tax adviser for legal, business, financial or tax advice.

Overseas Shareholders

Unless otherwise determined by Bidco or required by the Takeover Code and permitted by applicable law and regulation, the Offer is not being, and will not be, made available, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, in or into or from a Restricted Jurisdiction where to do so would violate the laws in that jurisdiction and no person may accept the Offer by any such use, means, instrumentality or from within a Restricted Jurisdiction or any other jurisdiction if to do so would constitute a violation of the laws of that jurisdiction. Copies of this document and any formal documentation relating to the Offer are not being, and must not be, directly or indirectly, mailed or otherwise forwarded, distributed or sent in or into or from any Restricted Jurisdiction and persons receiving such documents (including, without limitation, agents, custodians, nominees and trustees) must not mail, or otherwise forward, distribute or send it in or into or from any Restricted Jurisdiction. Doing so may render invalid any related purported acceptance of the Offer. Unless otherwise permitted by applicable law and regulation, the Offer may not be made directly or indirectly, in or into, or by the use of mails or any means or instrumentality (including, but not limited to, facsimile, e-mail or other electronic transmission, telex or telephone) of interstate or foreign commerce of, or of any facility of a national, state or other securities exchange of any Restricted Jurisdiction and the Offer may not be capable of acceptance by any such use, means, instrumentality or facilities.

This document and the accompanying Form of Acceptance have been prepared for the purposes of complying with English law, the applicable requirements of the Companies Act, the Takeover Code, the Panel, the FCA and the London Stock Exchange and applicable securities law and the information disclosed may not be the same as that which would have been disclosed if this document had been prepared in accordance with the laws of any other jurisdiction.

Notice to U.S. holders of IDS Shares

The Offer is being made for the securities of an English company that is listed on the London Stock Exchange by means of a contractual takeover offer under the Takeover Code and English law and is subject to disclosure requirements and practices that are different, in some cases materially, from the tender offer rules of the United States. The financial information included in this document has been prepared in accordance with accounting standards applicable in the United Kingdom and thus may not be comparable to financial information of U.S. companies or companies whose financial statements are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.

For U.S. holders of IDS Shares, the receipt of cash pursuant to the terms of the Acquisition as consideration for the transfer of their IDS Shares, may be treated as a taxable transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes and under applicable U.S. state and local, as well as foreign and other, tax laws. The receipt of the 2024 Final Dividend and the Special Dividend may also give rise to taxable income. Each holder of IDS Shares is urged to consult with its own legal, tax and financial advisers in connection with making a decision regarding this transaction and as to the U.S. federal, and applicable U.S. state, local, and foreign, tax consequences to it of the transaction contemplated hereby in light of such holders' specific circumstances.

For purposes of the U.S. Exchange Act, it is intended that the Offer be made pursuant to Section 14(e) and Regulation 14E under the U.S. Exchange Act and benefitting from exemptions available to "Tier I" cross-border tender offers. Accordingly, the Offer will be subject to disclosure and other procedural requirements under the applicable laws of the United Kingdom, including with respect to withdrawal rights, offer timetable, settlement procedures and timing of payments that may be materially different from those applicable under U.S. domestic tender offer procedures and law, and certain rules applicable to tender offers made into the United States, including rules promulgated under Section 14(d), Section 14(e)(1) and Section 14(e)(2) of the U.S. Exchange Act, do not apply.

Once the Offer is declared Unconditional, Bidco will acquire all IDS Shares that have by that time been validly tendered (or deemed to have been validly tendered) in acceptance of the Offer and will, in

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accordance with the Takeover Code, settle the relevant consideration for all such accepted IDS Shares (other than (A) in respect of the 2024 Final Dividend which, if approved by IDS Shareholders, is expected to be paid on 30 September 2024 to IDS Shareholders on the Register on 23 August 2024 and (B) in respect of participants in the IDS Share Plans, in respect of whom settlement will be effected through payroll or such other method as may be determined by IDS): (i) in the case of acceptances received, valid and complete in all respects, by the date on which the Offer becomes or is declared Unconditional, within 14 days of such date; or (ii) in the case of acceptances of the Offer received, valid and complete in all respects, after the date on which the Offer becomes or is declared Unconditional but while it remains open for acceptance, within 14 days of the date of such receipt, in each case, rather than the three trading days that U.S. investors may be accustomed to in U.S. domestic tender offers. Similarly, if the Offer is terminated or withdrawn, all document(s) of title will be returned to IDS Shareholders within 14 days of such termination or withdrawal. U.S. investors should closely read Part B of Part 6 (Additional Information) of this document for further details.

In accordance with normal UK practice and Rule 14e-5(b) under the U.S. Exchange Act, Bidco and its nominees or brokers (acting as agents), may from time to time make certain purchases of, or arrangements to purchase, IDS Shares outside the United States, other than pursuant to the Offer, before or during the period in which the Offer remains open for acceptance. Also, in accordance with Rule 14e-5(b) of the U.S. Exchange Act, BNP Paribas, Citigroup Global Markets Limited and J.P. Morgan will continue to act as exempt principal traders in IDS Shares on the London Stock Exchange. These purchases may occur either in the open market at prevailing prices or in private transactions at negotiated prices. Any information about such purchases will be disclosed as required in the United Kingdom, will be reported to a Regulatory Information Service of the FCA and will be available on the London Stock Exchange website: www.londonstockexchange.com.

This document does not constitute or form part of a public offer of securities in the United States or an offer to the public in the United States to acquire or exchange securities. Except pursuant to an applicable exemption, each of this document and the Form of Acceptance do not constitute or form part of an offer of any securities to, or for the account or benefit of, any U.S. Person.

Bidco is a private limited company incorporated under English law. The Bidco Directors are citizens of the Czech Republic and all such persons are residents of countries other than the United States. As a result, it may be difficult for investors to effect service of process within the United States upon the Bidco Directors or otherwise compel Bidco, IDS or their respective directors, officers and affiliates to subject themselves to the jurisdiction and judgment of a U.S. court. It may not be possible to sue Bidco or IDS, or any of their respective directors, officers or affiliates, in a non-U.S. court for violations of U.S. securities laws. There is doubt as to the enforceability in the United Kingdom, in original actions or in actions for enforcement of judgments of the U.S. courts, of civil liabilities predicated upon U.S. federal securities laws.

Dealing disclosure requirements

Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Takeover Code, any person who is "interested" in 1% or more of any class of "relevant securities" of an offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror (being any offeror other than an offeror in respect of which it has been announced that its offer is, or is likely to be, solely in cash) must make an Opening Position Disclosure following the commencement of the "offer period" and, if later, following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified.

An Opening Position Disclosure must contain details of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any "relevant securities" of each of: (i) the offeree company; and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s). An Opening Position Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the 10th business day following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate, by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the 10th business day following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the "relevant securities" of the offeree company or of a securities exchange offeror prior to the deadline for making an Opening Position Disclosure must instead make a Dealing Disclosure.

Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Takeover Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person "deals" in any relevant securities of the offeree company or of any

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securities exchange offeror. A Dealing Disclosure must contain details of the "dealing" concerned and of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any "relevant securities" of each of: (i) the offeree company; and (ii) any securities exchange offeror, save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the business day following the date of the relevant "dealing".

If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire or control an "interest in relevant securities" of an offeree company or a securities exchange offeror, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3.

Opening Position Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company and by any offeror and Dealing Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company, by any offeror and by any persons "acting in concert" with any of them (see Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4).

Details of the offeree and offeror companies in respect of whose "relevant securities" Opening Position Disclosures and Dealing Disclosures must be made can be found in the Disclosure Table on the Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk, including details of the number of "relevant securities" in issue, when the "offer period" commenced and when any offeror was first identified. You should contact the Panel's Market Surveillance Unit on +44 (0)20 7638 0129 if you are in any doubt as to whether you are required to make an Opening Position Disclosure or a Dealing Disclosure.

Forward-looking statements

This document (including information incorporated by reference in this document), statements made regarding the Acquisition, and other information published by Bidco and IDS contain statements which are, or may be deemed to be, "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements are prospective in nature and are not based on historical facts, but rather on current expectations and projections of the management of Bidco and IDS about future events, and are therefore subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from the future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements contained in this document include statements with respect to the final condition, results of operations and business of IDS and relating to the expected effects of the Acquisition on Bidco and IDS (including their future prospects, developments and strategies), the expected timing and scope of the Acquisition and other statements other than historical facts. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate only to historical or current facts and by the use of forward-looking words such as "prepares", "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "is subject to", "budget", "projects", "synergy", "strategy", "scheduled", "goal", "estimates", "forecasts", "cost-saving", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward looking statements may include statements relating to the following: (i) future capital expenditures, expenses, revenues, earnings, synergies, economic performance, indebtedness, financial condition, dividend policy, losses and future prospects; (ii) business and management strategies and the expansion and growth of Bidco's, IDS', any member of the Bidco Group's or any member of the IDS Group's operations and potential synergies resulting from the Acquisition; and (iii) the effects of global economic conditions and governmental regulation on Bidco's, IDS', any member of the Bidco Group's or any member of the IDS Group's business.

Although Bidco and/or IDS (as applicable) believe that the expectations reflected in such forward- looking statements are reasonable, Bidco and/or IDS (as applicable) can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future. There are a number of factors that could be beyond the control of Bidco and/or IDS which may cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

These factors include, but are not limited to: the ability to complete the Acquisition; the ability to obtain requisite regulatory and shareholder approvals and the satisfaction of other Conditions on the proposed terms and schedule; changes in the global political, economic, business and competitive environments and in market and regulatory forces; changes in future exchange and interest rates; changes in tax

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rates; future business combinations or disposals; changes in general economic and business conditions; changes in the behaviour of other market participants; changes in the anticipated benefits from the Acquisition not being realised as a result of changes in general economic and market conditions in the countries in which Bidco and IDS operate, weak, volatile or illiquid capital and/or credit markets, changes in tax rates, interest rate and currency value fluctuations, the degree of competition in the geographic and business areas in which Bidco and IDS operate and changes in laws or in supervisory expectations or requirements. Other unknown or unpredictable factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those expected, estimated or projected in the forward-looking statements. If any one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialises or if any one or more of the assumptions proves incorrect, actual results may differ materially from those expected, estimated or projected. Such forward-looking statements should therefore be construed in the light of such factors. Neither Bidco nor IDS, nor any of their respective associates or directors, officers or advisers, provides any representation, assurance or guarantee that the occurrence of the events expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements in this document will actually occur. You are cautioned not to place any reliance on these forward-looking statements.

Specifically, statements of estimated cost savings and synergies related to future actions and circumstances which, by their nature, involve risks, uncertainties and contingencies. As a result, the cost savings and synergies, if referred to, may not be achieved, may be achieved later or sooner than estimated, or those achieved could be materially different from those estimated. Due to the scale of the IDS Group, there may be additional changes to the IDS Group's operations. As a result, and given the fact that the changes relate to the future, the resulting cost synergies may be materially greater or less than those estimated.

Other than in accordance with their legal or regulatory obligations, neither Bidco nor IDS is under any obligation, and Bidco and IDS expressly disclaim any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Profit forecasts

The Royal Mail Profit Forecast and the GLS Profit Forecast are profit forecasts for the purposes of Rule 28 of the Takeover Code. The Royal Mail Profit Forecast, the assumptions and basis of preparation on which the Royal Mail Profit Forecast is based and the IDS Directors' confirmation, as required by Rule 28.1 of the Takeover Code, are set out in Part A of Part 7 (Profit Forecasts) of this document. The IDS Directors have confirmed that the GLS Profit Forecast is no longer valid, further details of which are set out in Part B of Part 7 (Profit Forecasts) of this document.

Other than in respect of the Royal Mail Profit Forecast and the GLS Profit Forecast, no statement in this document (including any statement of estimated costs savings or synergies) is intended as a profit forecast or estimate of the future financial performance of Bidco or the IDS Group for any period and, in particular, no statement in this document should be interpreted to mean that earnings or earnings per share or dividend per share for Bidco or the IDS Group, as appropriate, for the current or future financial years would necessarily match or exceed the historical published earnings or earnings per share or dividend per share for IDS or otherwise.

Electronic communications

Please be aware that addresses, electronic addresses and certain other information provided by IDS Shareholders, persons with information rights and other relevant persons for the receipt of communications from IDS may be provided to Bidco during the Offer Period as required under Section 4 of Appendix 4 of the Takeover Code to comply with Rule 2.11(c) of the Takeover Code.

Publication on website and availability of hard copies

A copy of this document is and will be available free of charge, subject to certain restrictions relating to persons resident or located in Restricted Jurisdictions, for inspection on IDS' website at www.internationaldistributionservices.com, by no later than 12.00 p.m. (London time) on the date following publication of this document and during the course of the Offer. For the avoidance of doubt, unless otherwise stated, neither the contents of IDS' website nor the contents of any website accessible from hyperlinks on IDS' website (or any other websites referred to in this document) are incorporated into, or form part of, this document.

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Pursuant to Rule 30.3 of the Takeover Code, you may, subject to certain restrictions relating to persons resident or located in Restricted Jurisdictions, request a hard copy of this document and all information incorporated into this document by contacting the Registrar at Equiniti Limited, Aspect House, Spencer Road, Lancing, West Sussex BN99 6DA, United Kingdom, or on +44 (0) 333 207 6505 between

8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. (London time) Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays in England and Wales). For deaf and speech impaired shareholders, calls can be made via Relay UK. Please see www.relayuk.bt.comfor more information. Please note that Equiniti cannot provide any financial, legal or tax advice and calls may be recorded and monitored for security and training purposes. In accordance with Rule 30.3 of the Takeover Code, a person so entitled may also request that all future documents, announcements and information in relation to the Acquisition should be sent to them in hard copy form. If you have received this document in electronic form or via a website notification, hard copies of this document and any document or information incorporated by reference into this document will not be provided unless such a request is made.

IDS Shareholders may also, subject to certain restrictions relating to persons resident or located in Restricted Jurisdictions, request that all future documents, announcements and information sent to them in relation to the Acquisition be in hard copy form. A hard copy of such document (including this document), announcement or information will not be sent unless so requested.

Rounding

Certain figures included in this document have been subjected to rounding adjustments. Accordingly, figures shown for the same category presented in different tables may vary slightly and figures shown as totals in certain tables may not be an arithmetic aggregation of the figures that precede them.

Date of publication

This document is dated 26 June 2024.

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CONTENTS

Heading

Page

IMPORTANT NOTICES

3

ACTION TO BE TAKEN

9

EXPECTED TIMETABLE OF PRINCIPAL EVENTS

12

PART 1 LETTER FROM EP UK BIDCO LIMITED

14

PART 2 LETTER FROM THE CHAIR OF INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION SERVICES PLC...

43

PART 3 CONDITIONS TO AND FURTHER TERMS OF THE ACQUISITION

52

PART 4 INFORMATION ON EP, J&T AND BIDCO

90

PART 5 INFORMATION ON THE IDS GROUP

92

PART 6

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

94

PART 7

PROFIT FORECASTS

124

PART 8

DEFINITIONS

127

PART 9

OPINIONS OF IDS' EMPLOYEE REPRESENTATIVE AND PENSION SCHEME

TRUSTEE

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WHERE TO FIND HELP

You will find answers to some of the questions most often asked by shareholders about takeover offers and the procedure for accepting the Offer in Part 1 (Letter from EP UK Bidco Limited) of this document.

If you have further questions on the Offer more generally, you can visit https://idsoffer.shareview.infowhere there are answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs). In addition, there is a Shareholder Helpline available between the hours of 8.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. (London time) Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays in England and Wales).

The Shareholder Helpline number is +44 (0) 333 207 6505. Please use the country code when calling outside of the UK. Calls are charged at the standard geographic rate and will vary by provider. Calls outside the UK will be charged at the applicable international rate. Please note that calls to the Shareholder Helpline numbers may be monitored or recorded.

Please note that Equiniti, as operator of the Shareholder Helpline, will only be able to provide information contained in this document and cannot provide any financial, legal or tax advice.

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ACTION TO BE TAKEN

The IDS Directors, who have been so advised by Barclays, BofA Securities and Goldman Sachs as to the financial terms of the Acquisition, unanimously consider the terms of the Acquisition to be fair and reasonable. In providing their advice to the IDS Directors, Barclays, BofA Securities and Goldman Sachs have taken into account the commercial assessments of the IDS Directors. Barclays, BofA Securities and Goldman Sachs are providing independent financial advice to the IDS Directors for the purposes of Rule 3 of the Takeover Code.

For the reasons set out in this document, the IDS Directors unanimously recommend that IDS Shareholders accept, or procure the acceptance of, the Offer, as the IDS Directors who hold IDS Shares have irrevocably undertaken to do in respect of their own beneficial holdings of IDS Shares, and that you take the action described below.

If IDS Shareholders wish to accept the Offer, it is important that they follow the instructions contained in this document and, if their IDS Shares are held in certificated form, the Form of Acceptance.

If IDS Shareholders have not received all of these documents, please contact Equiniti on the relevant telephone number set out in the paragraph under the section headed "Shareholder Helpline" below.

If you hold your IDS Shares in certificated form

If you hold your IDS Shares in certificated form (that is, not in CREST), you should complete the accompanying Form of Acceptance in accordance with the instructions printed thereon and in paragraph 17 of Part 1 (Letter from EP UK Bidco Limited) of this document. You may also obtain additional Forms of Acceptance by contacting the Shareholder Helpline operated by the Receiving Agent at Equiniti Limited, Aspect House, Spencer Road, Lancing, West Sussex BN99 6DA, United Kingdom, on +44 (0) 333 207 6505 between 8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. (London time) Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays in England and Wales). The completed Form of Acceptance, together with your share certificate(s) and/or other document(s) of title, should be returned as soon as possible by post using, if posted in the United Kingdom, the enclosed reply-paid envelope to the Receiving Agent at Equiniti Limited, Aspect House, Spencer Road, Lancing, West Sussex BN99 6DA, United Kingdom, so as to arrive no later than 1.00 p.m. (London time) on the Unconditional Date. If you are posting in the United Kingdom, the enclosed reply-paid envelope has been provided for your convenience. It is recommended to allow four Business Days for delivery. Any Form of Acceptance received electronically will be rejected as an invalid acceptance of the Offer.

The latest time for Equiniti to receive your Form of Acceptance will be 1.00 p.m. (London time) on the Unconditional Date. You should allow sufficient time for posting for your Form of Acceptance to be received. It is recommended to allow four Business Days for delivery.

If you hold your IDS Shares in uncertificated form

If you hold your IDS Shares in uncertificated form (that is, in CREST), you should follow the procedures set out in paragraph 17 of Part 1 (Letter from EP UK Bidco Limited) of this document and ensure that an Electronic Acceptance is made by you or on your behalf and that settlement is made no later than 1.00 p.m. (London time) on the Unconditional Date. If you hold your IDS Shares as a CREST sponsored member, you should refer to your CREST sponsor as only your CREST sponsor will be able to send the necessary TTE instruction to Euroclear.

The latest time for receipt of an Electronic Acceptance through CREST (applicable only for IDS Shareholders who hold their IDS Shares in uncertificated form) will be 1.00 p.m. (London time) on the Unconditional Date. The latest time and date by which the Offer can be accepted initially will be 25 August 2024, which is Day 60 as at the date of this document. If a material official authorisation or regulatory clearance has not been satisfied (or waived, if capable of waiver) at 5.00 p.m. on 2 August 2024, Bidco shall request that the Panel suspend the timetable for the Offer until such material official authorisation or regulatory clearance is satisfied. A separate announcement will be made in due course confirming the timetable and the relevant deadline for accepting the Offer, including on CREST. Subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the Conditions and certain

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further terms set out in Part 3 (Conditions to and further terms of the Acquisition) it is currently expected that the Offer will become or be declared Unconditional in the first quarter of 2025.

Further details about how to submit your Form of Acceptance and how to make your Electronic Acceptance are set out in Part D and Part E, respectively, of Part 3 (Conditions to and further terms of the Acquisition) of this document.

If you hold your IDS Shares in the Nominee Share Service

If you hold your IDS Shares in the Nominee Share Service please refer to the letter or email (if an email address is held by the Nominee) that will be sent to you on 26 June 2024 providing you with your login details to make your online instruction. Any instruction needs to be registered online to be received by the Nominee by no later than 1.00 p.m. (London time) three Business Days prior to the Unconditional Date.

Should the email address held by Equiniti not be valid, or be returned, Equiniti will arrange to post to your Registered Address the equivalent information to enable you to make your online instruction.

The latest time for the Nominee to receive your instruction via the online application at https://idsoffer.shareview.infowill be 1.00 p.m. three Business Days prior to the Unconditional Date.

If you hold your IDS Shares in the IDS SIP

If you hold your IDS Shares in the IDS SIP please refer to the letter that will be sent to IDS SIP Participants on or around the date of this document, providing you with further information about the impact of the Offer on the IDS SIP and your login details to make your online instruction.

Any instruction needs to be registered online to be received by the SIP Trustee by no later than 1.00 p.m. (London time) three Business Days prior to the Unconditional Date.

The latest time for the SIP Trustee to receive your instruction via the online application at https://idsoffer.shareview.infowill be 1.00 p.m. three Business Days prior to the Unconditional Date.

Holdings of IDS Shares in certificated or uncertificated form, or held via the Nominee Share Service or IDS SIP will be treated as separate holdings for the purpose of calculating entitlements and you are required to accept in relation to each holding separately.

If the Offer becomes or is declared Unconditional, Bidco will keep the Offer open for acceptances for at least 14 days following the Unconditional Date.

All references to time in this document and in the Form of Acceptance are to London time.

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International Distributions Services plc published this content on 26 June 2024 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 26 June 2024 07:16:26 UTC.