The NPD Group Acquires TNS Foodservice Businesses in UK and Spain

The NPD Group, leading provider of consumer and retail
information, and TNS, a world leader in market information, announced
that NPD has acquired the foodservice tracking businesses of TNS in
the UK and Spain. The deal was completed March 31. The firms also
announced plans to cooperate on the development of special reports
combining their information on food consumption trends in Great
Britain and the use by NPD of TNS' 6th dimension European access
panels.

With the transaction, NPD becomes the premier provider of consumer
panel information for the foodservice business in the UK and Spain.
The deal is the latest step in the expansion of NPD's industry-leading
CREST(R) service, which provides information on consumer purchases of
prepared meals and snacks in restaurants and other commercial and
noncommercial establishments in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain,
U.S., Canada, and Japan.

Under the agreement, NPD's CREST will replace both the TNS Outlet
Tracker and the TNS Out of Home Report. However, clients will continue
to receive the same information previously available through TNS as
well as additional information unique to CREST. NPD will also continue
to offer the TNS Out of Home Report in addition to CREST through at
least March 31, 2008, in order to smooth the transition in information
trending for former TNS clients.

Former TNS Outlet Tracker subscribers will be able to receive the
metrics previously available through that service plus data on
children under 17 and continuous tracking of the same consumers over
time for greater insight into behavioral trends.

Former Out of Home Report subscribers will be able to receive
comparable measures reported more frequently and based on data
reported by larger samples of consumers. As NPD CREST subscribers,
they will also gain the ability to drill down to identify and monitor
key market trends by chain, channel, and food type. Clients will be
able to review frequency and penetration, plus information on where
consumers are eating, pricing, and promotions.

"NPD is pleased to be offering the industry the most accurate and
robust market views available today. Our goal is to offer global
coverage with granular market views that provide the breadth and depth
the foodservice industry needs to drive decision making," said Andy
Tarshis, NPD group president, Europe.

"We are confident that our clients will benefit from NPD's
industry expertise and continued dedication to providing the best
information available," said Giles Quick, Managing Director of TNS
Worldpanel, Usage. "And we are committed to working together to ensure
that we don't miss a beat in delivering the information and insight
clients rely on."

In addition to the flagship CREST service, NPD also offers
foodservice companies access to a portfolio of complementary services.
The CREST atwork Panel monitors prepared foods and beverages at work
and educational institutions. NPD's SalesTrac(R) delivers same-store
sales trends for benchmarking and strategic planning.

In a separate agreement NPD has also appointed TNS' 6th dimension
as the Access Panel fieldwork provider for its CREST, Toys, and Sports
services in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain.

About The NPD Group, Inc.

The NPD Group is the leading provider of reliable and
comprehensive consumer and retail information for a wide range of
industries. Today, more than 1,600 manufacturers, retailers, and
service companies rely on NPD to help them drive critical business
decisions at the global, national, and local market levels. NPD
helps its clients to identify new business opportunities and guide
product development, marketing, sales, merchandising, and other
functions. Information is available for the following industry
sectors: automotive, beauty, commercial technology, consumer
technology, entertainment, fashion, food and beverage, foodservice,
home, office supplies, software, sports, toys, and wireless. For more
information, visit http://www.npd.com/.

About TNS:

TNS is a global market insight and information group.

TNS's strategic goal is to be recognised as the global leader in
delivering value-added information and insights that help its clients
to make more effective decisions. As industry thought leaders, TNS's
people deliver innovative thinking and excellent service to global
organisations and local clients worldwide. They work in partnership
with clients, meeting their needs for high-quality information,
analysis and foresight across our network of over 70 countries.

TNS is the world's foremost provider of custom research and
analysis, combining in-depth industry sector understanding with
world-class expertise in the areas of new product development,
segmentation and positioning research, brand and advertising research
and stakeholder management. They are a major supplier of consumer
panel, media intelligence and internet, TV and radio audience
measurement services.

TNS is the sixth sense of business.

www.tns-global.com