Contact: Thomas F. Cullen                                     Frederic J. Spar
         General Counsel                                      Jason Lynch
         BT Office Products International, Inc.               Kekst and Company
         847-793-7500                                         847-521-4800


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


              BT OFFICE PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCES "AGREEMENT
               IN PRINCIPLE" BETWEEN SPECIAL COMMITTEE AND KNP BT


CHICAGO,  ILLINOIS,  May  7,  1998  - BT  Office  Products  International,  Inc.
(NYSE:BTF)  ("BTOPI") today announced that NV Koninklijke KNP BT ("KNP BT"), the
majority  owner of the  outstanding  capital  stock of  BTOPI,  has  reached  an
agreement in principle  with the Special  Committee of the Board of Directors of
BTOPI to acquire in a cash merger the outstanding minority interest in BTOPI for
$13.75 per share.  The agreement is subject to definitive  documentation,  final
board  approval by BT Office  Products  and  approval by a majority of the BTOPI
public stockholders.  No Hart-Scott-Rodino filing will be required to consummate
the transaction.

BTOPI also announced that KNP BT has reached an agreement in principle to settle
the class action lawsuits that were filed in Delaware Chancery Court challenging
the transaction has been reached. This settlement is subject to Court approval.

BT Office Products International,  Inc. is a leading full-service distributor of
office  products,  serving  primarily  medium-  and  large-size  businesses  and
institutions in major markets in both the United States and Europe.  The Company
distributes over 10,000 general office products,  business  furniture,  computer
supplies  and  accessories  and  promotional  products,  including  recycled and
recyclable products and items manufactured by minority-owned businesses.