VODAFONE GROUP PUBLIC LTD CO filed this 424B5 on 17/06/2026
VODAFONE GROUP PUBLIC LTD CO - 424B5 - 20260617 - DISTRIBUTION_PLAN
 
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
We may sell the securities offered by this prospectus through agents, underwriters or dealers, or directly to one or more purchasers. In addition, third parties may sell securities under the registration statement for their own account.
The prospectus supplement relating to any offering will identify or describe:

any underwriter, dealers or agents;

their compensation;

the net proceeds to us;

the purchase price of the securities;

the initial public offering price of the securities; and

any exchange on which the securities will be listed.
Agents
We may designate agents who agree to use their reasonable efforts to solicit purchases of securities during the term of their appointment to sell securities on a continuing basis.
We may enter into derivative transactions with third parties, or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. If the applicable prospectus supplement so indicates, in connection with those derivatives, the third parties may sell securities covered by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, including in short sale transactions. If so, the third party may use securities pledged by us or borrowed from us or others to settle those sales or to close out any related open borrowings of stock, and may use securities received from us in settlement of those derivatives to close out any related open borrowings of stock. The third party in such sale transactions will be an underwriter and, if not identified in this prospectus, will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement (or a post-effective amendment).
Underwriters
If we use underwriters for the sale of securities, they will acquire securities for their own account. The underwriters may resell the securities from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. Unless we otherwise state in the applicable prospectus supplement, various conditions will apply to the underwriters’ obligation to purchase securities, and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the securities contemplated in an offering if they purchase any of such securities. Any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or re-allowed or paid to dealers may be changed from time to time.
Selling Restrictions
United Kingdom
Each underwriter will represent, warrant and agree that, in connection with the distribution of the securities:

in relation to any securities which have a maturity of less than one year (i) it is a person whose ordinary activities involve it in acquiring, holding, managing or disposing of investments (as principal or agent) for the purposes of its business; and (ii) it has not offered or sold and will not offer or sell any securities other than to persons whose ordinary activities involve them in acquiring, holding, managing or disposing of investments (as principal or agent) for the purposes of their businesses or who it is reasonable to expect will acquire, hold, manage or dispose of investments (as principal or agent) for the purposes of their businesses where the issue of the securities would otherwise constitute a contravention of Section 19 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (“FSMA”) by the Company;
 
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it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated any invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the FSMA) received by it in connection with the issue or sale of any securities in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to the Company; and

it has complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to the securities in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.
Prohibition of sales to EEA Retail Investors
Each underwriter will represent, warrant and agree that, in connection with the distribution of the securities, it has not offered, sold or otherwise made available, and will not offer, sell or otherwise make available, any securities to any retail investor in the European Economic Area (the “EEA”). For these purposes:
(a)
the expression “retail investor” means a person who is one (or more) of the following:
(i)
a retail client as defined in point (11) of Article 4(1) of Directive 2014/65/EU (as amended, “MiFID II”);
(ii)
a customer within the meaning of Directive (EU) 2016/97 (the “Insurance Distribution Directive”), where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or
(iii)
not a “qualified investor” as defined in Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (the “Prospectus Regulation”); and
(b)
the expression an “offer” includes the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the securities to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for the securities.
No key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 (as amended, the “PRIIPs Regulation”), for offering or selling the securities or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the EEA has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the securities or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the EEA may be unlawful under the PRIIPs Regulation.
Prohibition of sales to UK Retail Investors
Each underwriter will represent, warrant and agree that, in connection with the distribution of the securities, it has not offered, sold or otherwise made available, and will not offer, sell or otherwise make available, any securities to any retail investor in the United Kingdom. For these purposes:
(a)
the expression “retail investor” means a person who is one (or more) of the following:
(i)
a retail client as defined in point (8) of Article 2 of Regulation (EU) No 2017/565 as it forms part of domestic law in the United Kingdom by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (“EUWA”);
(ii)
a customer within the meaning of the provisions of the FSMA and any rules or regulations made under the FSMA to implement the Insurance Distribution Directive, where that customer would not qualify as a professional client, as defined in point (8) of Article 2(1) of Regulation (EU) No 600/2014 as it forms part of domestic law in the United Kingdom by virtue of the EUWA; or
(iii)
not a “qualified investor” as defined in the Prospectus Regulation as it forms part of domestic law in the United Kingdom by virtue of the EUWA; and
(b)
the expression an “offer” includes the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the securities to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for the securities.
 
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No key information document required by the PRIIPs Regulation as it forms part of domestic law in the United Kingdom by virtue of the EUWA, for offering or selling the securities or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the United Kingdom has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the securities or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the United Kingdom may be unlawful under the PRIIPs Regulation.
Dealers
If we use dealers in the sale, unless we otherwise indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will sell securities to the dealers as principals. The dealers may then resell the securities to the public at varying prices that the dealers may determine at the time of resale.
Direct Sales
We may also sell securities directly without using agents, underwriters, or dealers.
Securities Act; Indemnification
Underwriters, dealers and agents that participate in the distribution of the securities may be underwriters as defined in the Securities Act, and any discounts or commissions they receive from us and any profit on their resale of securities may be treated as underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. Agreements that we will enter into with underwriters, dealers or agents may entitle them to indemnification by us against various civil liabilities. These include liabilities under the Securities Act. The agreements may also entitle them to contribution for payments which they may be required to make as a result of these liabilities. Underwriters, dealers and agents may be customers of, engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us in the ordinary course of business.
Market Making
In the event that we do not list securities of any type or series on a U.S. national securities exchange, various broker-dealers may make a market in the securities, but will have no obligation to do so, and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. Consequently, it may be the case that no broker-dealer will make a market in securities of any series or that the liquidity of the trading market for the securities will be limited.
Validity of Securities
The validity of the debt securities, warrants and preference shares will be passed upon for us by Linklaters LLP or any other law firm named in the applicable prospectus supplement as to certain matters of English and New York law. The validity of the debt securities and debt warrants will be passed upon for any underwriters or agents by Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP or any other law firm named in the applicable prospectus supplement as to certain matters of New York law.
Enforceability of Certain Civil Liabilities
We are a public limited company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales. Many of our directors and officers, and some of the experts named in this prospectus, reside outside the United States, principally in the United Kingdom. In addition, although we have assets in the United States, a large portion of our assets and the assets of our directors and officers are located outside of the United States. As a result, U.S. investors may find it difficult in a lawsuit based on the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws:

to effect service within the United States upon us or our directors and officers located outside the United States;

to enforce in U.S. courts or outside the United States judgments obtained against us or those persons in U.S. courts;

to enforce in U.S. courts judgments obtained against us or those persons in courts in jurisdictions outside the United States; and

to enforce against us or those persons in the United Kingdom, whether in original actions or in actions for the enforcement of judgments of U.S. courts, civil liabilities based solely upon the U.S. federal securities laws.
 
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