UK DMO newsletter #4 – September 2025

Welcome to the latest edition of UK DMO’s industry newsletter. 

This month has seen the DMO continue to strengthen our leadership team, deepen engagement across governments and industry, and advance the operational planning that will underpin a successful Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) across Northern Ireland, Scotland and England. 

John Bason appointed as Chair

We are delighted to confirm the appointment of John Bason as Chair of the DMO Board, marking another milestone in the organisation’s establishment. John brings a wealth of leadership experience across the food, drink and retail supply chains, having previously chaired FareShare, overseeing its growth into the UK’s leading food redistribution charity tackling food waste. John also served as Finance Director of Associated British Foods for over 20 years and held senior positions at Bunzl, United Biscuits and Compass Group. 

Commenting on his appointment, John said: 

“The Deposit Return Scheme is an opportunity to deliver a transformational change in the UK’s circular economy for drinks containers. Having worked in markets across the world, I’ve seen firsthand the positive impact that such schemes can have. However, it is also a complex and challenging undertaking that will only be effective if it is easy for consumers to use, fair for retailers and producers of every size, and trusted by the public. That’s why I will be focused on ensuring that the views and insights of as many people as possible inform how we build the scheme.” 

Circular Economy Minister, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Mary Creagh, said:  

“I welcome the progress the UK DMO is making and their close collaboration with retailers, consumer groups and drinks producers. The appointment of John Bason as Chair is a key milestone. I look forward to working closely with John and the team to deliver the deposit return scheme, which will stop the avalanche of rubbish that is filling up our streets and rivers, while kickstarting economic growth and creating new green jobs.”  

Further details on John’s appointment can be found here: https://ukdmo.co.uk/news/chair-announced-ukdmo/  

Wider recruitment

Alongside John’s appointment, the DMO has also welcomed Steph Ferreira as Interim Senior Marketing Manager. Steph brings nearly 20 years’ experience in brand management and marketing, having worked with global names including Johnnie Walker, Coca-Cola, Peugeot and Hotpoint, and will lead the development of the DMO’s brand and consumer engagement strategy.  

We are continuing to grow our team to deliver one of the most ambitious environmental programmes in the UK, and hiring for the following roles immediately:

Interim Retail Development Lead – Build and support a nationwide return point network.

Financial Controller (Chartered Accountant) – Lead strategic financial operations.

Interim Producer Development Lead – Guide packaging requirements and producer onboarding.

Helpdesk Lead – Design and run support for retailers, producers and consumers.

Office Manager & Executive PA – Keep our Milton Keynes HQ running smoothly.

Full job descriptions for all of the above roles can be found on the UK DMO website.

The recruitment process continues for other senior positions, including the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Independent Non-Executive Directors.  

Stakeholder engagement

Engagement with governments, regulators and stakeholders across the three nations remains a central priority.  

We were pleased to accept an invitation to join sector leaders at the UK Packaging Expo in Manchester on 4th September, contributing to a DRS panel session with retailers, producers and supply chain partners, hosted by Metal Packaging Manufacturers Association (MPMA). 

In the coming weeks, the DMO Board will meet Gillian Martin MSP, Scotland’s Minister for Energy and the Environment, to discuss the development of the scheme. And Board Director Jonathan Kemp is preparing to participate in the Scottish Grocers Federation’s Cross-Party Group on Convenience Retail, ensuring the voice of small and rural retailers continues to inform decision-making. 

Operational planning

Work to define the operational blueprint is advancing at pace. 

We are working with DEFRA to finalise the framework for exemptions for Return Point Operators. This will provide clarity for smaller or more complex retail sites, with details and supporting guidance to be shared in due course.

Engagement with Reverse Vending Machine suppliers has now progressed to testing of hardware minimum specifications, ensuring equipment is reliable, consistent and user-friendly. If you are a manufacturer and would like to be part of this discussion, please email us at info@dmouk.com to register your interest.

Meet our people

The DMO Board Directors have been nominated by the leading trade associations who represent the full breadth of retailers and producers who will be impacted by the scheme and have extensive experience within these sectors, as well as having been involved in the design and implementation of packaging and recycling schemes in the UK and other markets.  

The month, we are introducing the final two Board Directors, Boudewijn Haarsma, nominated by the British Beer and Pub Association, and David Beardmore, nominated by the British Retail Consortium.  

Board Director: 

Boudewijn Haarsma 

Nominating Trade Association: 

British Beer and Pub Association 

Job Title: 

Managing Director, Heineken UK 

Boudewijn has 30 years of global management experience in beverages, including senior roles in markets with DRS in Europe and Africa and global innovation. He is the Managing Director of Heineken UK and is currently responsible for the UK’s largest brewer and cider maker, with an extensive network across on and off trade, scale production and distribution facilities nationwide as well as ownership of 2,400 pubs. Boudewijn has eight years of experience in various board roles at companies internationally, including publicly listed ones. His areas of functional expertise include general management, commercial strategy, supply chain, innovation and marketing.

Board Director: 

David Beardmore 

Nominating Trade Association: 

British Retail Consortium 

Job Title: 

Impulse Director, Tesco UK 

David is a highly experienced, customer-led key influencer within the food and drink industry. He has significant cross-functional expertise in marketing, commercial and product development, having operated at board level internationally. At Tesco, David sits on the steering committee of Dunnhumby UK, leading the development of Tesco’s group Media & Insights strategy, alongside responsibility for Tesco’s largest commercial category. 

Beyond his executive role, David is a Trustee of the RSPCA, supporting the RSPCA Assured scheme, and serves on GroceryAid’s Presidents Fundraising Committee, where he leads several cross-functional teams to deliver industry-wide initiatives. His experience across retail leadership, stakeholder engagement and charitable governance brings valuable perspective to the DMO Board. 

Keeping in touch

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