Abstract: A method for separating from a group of articles being conveyed along a conveyor system the leading article of the group, wherein the group of articles is conveyed by a first independently operable upstream conveyor (3) towards a second independently operable downstream conveyor (4), and the first conveyor (3) is stopped or reduced in speed relative to the second conveyor (4) after all or a substantial part of the leading article has passed onto the second conveyor (4). This introduces a speed differential between the leading article and the rest of the group and resulting in the leading article being drawn away from the rest of the group. Once the leading article has travelled forward on the second conveyor (4) by a distance sufficient to space it from the rest of the group, the first conveyor (3) is restarted.