Staples Brightens Offices Everywhere With Higher Quality Copy Paper; Staples' Number One Selling ''Red Box'' Copy Paper And 30 Percent Recycled Content Copy Paper Get A Brightness Upgrade Without Higher Prices

Business Wire, August 11, 2005

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. -- Staples, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPLS), the world's largest office products retailer, announced today that it will increase the quality of its best selling product, Staples(R) brand "red box" copy paper as well as Staples Brand 30 percent recycled content copy paper. The improved copy papers will now have an elevated brightness rating of "92," a scale rating that has previously been associated with higher-end, multi-use papers that are suitable for copying and printing.

Paper brightness represents image contrast and clarity and is measured using a standard industry scale known as GE/TAPPI (Technical Association of Pulp and Paper Industry/American). The higher the GE/TAPPI rating number, the more light is reflected off the page, resulting in better text and image contrast.

"For decades, standard copy paper across the industry has had an '84' brightness rating," said Dave Perron, Staples executive vice president, Merchandising. "Starting Monday, Staples' best selling standard copy paper will be manufactured with a '92' brightness, making it easy for Staples' customers to get the absolute highest quality standard copy paper in the industry, at the same great price."

Staples' move is expected to evolve the industry and create a new paper quality standard for entry level copy paper brightness. In addition, Staples 30 percent recycled content copy paper will also change from its current "84" brightness to "92," providing customers an environmentally friendly alternative at the same low price as Staples "red box" copy paper. The new Staples brand copy papers will be available in stores and on-line in the coming weeks.

"Paper consumption in the United States is the highest of any country in the world, with the average office worker using approximately 14,000 sheets of paper annually," said Perron. "We know lower brightness and cost have been the main deterrents to using recycled content paper. We expect our quality upgrades, combined with the continued low cost of our 30 percent recycled content paper, to help propel even greater acceptance and usage of recycled paper."

Offering recycled content products including Staples brand recycled copy paper with 30 percent post-consumer recycled content by weight, is a key cornerstone of Staples' company-wide commitment to the environment. Staples offers nearly 2,800 items containing recycled materials, ranging from paper to plastic storage to remanufactured ink and toner cartridges. Staples has increased the average post-consumer recycled content in all its paper offered for sale in the United States from 21.4 percent in 2004 to 28.4 percent year-to-date, vastly leading the industry.

About Staples Brand

Staples brand products are an easy choice of quality products at guaranteed low prices. Staples offers its customers more than 1,000 Staples brand office products in stores, Staples.com and through catalogs. Products range from ink and toner to paper, filing systems and technology accessories. All Staples products undergo an intense independent laboratory quality-testing program and are 100 percent satisfaction guaranteed.

About Staples

Staples, Inc. invented the office superstore concept in 1986 and today is the world's largest office products company. With 65,000 talented associates, the company is committed to making it easy to buy a wide range of office products, including supplies, technology, furniture, and business services. With 2004 sales of $14.4 billion, Staples serves consumers and businesses ranging from home-based businesses to Fortune 500 companies in 21 countries throughout North and South America, Europe and Asia. Headquartered outside of Boston, Staples operates approximately 1,695 office superstores and also serves its customers through mail order catalog, e-commerce and contract businesses. More information is available at www.staples.com.