Lidl GB property director joins board of organisation that will run UK’s deposit return scheme

Lidl property director Robert Beaumont has been appointed to the board of the body that will run the UK’s £1.13bn deposit return scheme, due to launch in October 2027.

Beamont will represent the views and experiences of large retailers on the board of the UK Deposit Management Organisation (DMO), according to Lidl.

He will also continue in his role as Lidl’s regional property director for the north of England & Scotland, which he has held since 2014.

The news – announced by Lidl on LinkedIn – comes on the same day the government announced it had appointed the DMO to run the deposit return scheme (DRS), which will cover single-use plastic and metal drinks containers in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

The DMO is a not-for-profit organisation created to deliver what was billed as one of the most significant environmental infrastructure programmes in a generation across England, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

The DMO’s responsibilities will include setting up and operating the DRS in line with regulations in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Its tasks include registering drinks producers and overseeing their compliance, managing the flow of deposits including collections from consumers, reimbursement, and producer fees, co-ordinating the return point network, and sorting and onward recycling of returned containers.

Tesco impulse director Dave Beardmore is also on the DMO board, as revealed by The Grocer in April, ahead of the government’s announcement today.

Other figures on the board include Rebecca Oliver-Mooney, Co-op Group head of commercial, Heineken UK MD Boudewijn Haarsma and Julian Hunt, vice president public affairs and communications at Coca-Cola.

Beaumont has worked for Lidl since 2003, first as an area manager and then moving through the roles of acquisition manager and head of property.

Lidl piloted its own city-wide deposit return scheme for bottles and cans in Glasgow last year, having trialled it in a handful of stores in Scotland since 2021. The Glasgow pilot followed the delay of the Scottish government’s DRS from an original go-live date of 16 August 2023.

“Today marks an exciting step forward in the push for a cleaner, greener future,” Lidl said.

“The UK Deposit Management Organisation (UK DMO) has been appointed to manage the upcoming deposit return scheme for single-use plastic and metal drinks containers across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

“This is a major milestone in the fight against waste. With over 6.5 billion single-use bottles and cans wasted each year, this scheme will reduce litter and help build a more sustainable future for everyone.

“At Lidl GB, we’re committed to supporting sustainable solutions, and this announcement is a big step in the right direction.

“We’re also proud to share that Lidl GB director, Robert Beaumont, has been appointed to the UK DMO board in addition to his role at Lidl GB. He will represent the views and experiences of large retailers as this initiative progresses.”