Food Industry Stalwart Appointed to Lead UK DMO for DRS Delivery

On 21 August 2025, it was announced that John Bason, former finance director at Associated British Foods, has been appointed as Chair of the UK Deposit Management Organisation (DMO). The DMO is the new industry-led body tasked with overseeing the introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Bason brings long-standing experience in the consumer goods and retail sectors, with senior roles at companies including United Biscuits, Compass Group, and Bunzl. He will now lead the DMO board, which is made up of senior representatives from retailers and producers such as Tesco, Lidl, Co-op, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners and Heineken UK.

His appointment comes at a crucial time for the DRS, which aims to boost recycling rates and cut litter by adding a refundable deposit to drinks containers. The new Chair has already stressed the importance of building a scheme that is simple for consumers, fair to businesses of all sizes, and trusted by the public.

The DMO will now begin detailed work on building the operational model and preparing the scheme for its expected launch in 2027.

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