UK Deposit Management Organisation

What UK Deposit Management Organisation does

UK Deposit Management Organisation (UK DMO), trading as Exchange for Change, is a business-led not-for-profit organisation designated by the UK government to design and deliver the national Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for single-use plastic and metal drinks containers across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The scheme is scheduled to launch in October 2027. UK DMO operates the regulatory and operational infrastructure through which producers register containers, consumers pay and redeem deposits, and return point operators collect and process eligible packaging.

The organisation's product is the Deposit Return Scheme itself — a single integrated programme comprising deposit value setting, producer material specifications, a tiered Return Handling Fee (RHF) paid to manual and automatic return point operators, retailer exemption criteria (for urban stores under 100m²), and grant funding for small independent retailers. UK DMO is registered as a private limited company in the United Kingdom and is explicitly separate from the UK Debt Management Office. Leadership includes Chairman John Bason. Headcount is currently in the 1–10 range, consistent with a pre-launch build phase.

Revenue, once the scheme is operational, is expected to be generated primarily through the Return Handling Fee paid by return point operators on a tiered transaction basis, supplemented by deposit flows from producers. The organisation is industry-led with no disclosed private equity or venture capital ownership. No AI/technology stack is disclosed beyond standard web infrastructure and an EmailOctopus-powered newsletter system. The entity is currently pre-revenue, with all commercial activity focused on regulatory design, stakeholder onboarding and ecosystem preparation for the October 2027 go-live.

Name

UK Deposit Management Organisation

Legal name

UK Deposit Management Organisation Limited

Website

https://ukdmo.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2025

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

UK Deposit Management Organisation (trading as Exchange for Change) is a business-led not-for-profit designated by the UK government to design and deliver the national Deposit Return Scheme for single-use plastic and metal drinks containers across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, scheduled to launch in October 2027.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Deposit Return Scheme Operations: As a not-for-profit organization, UK DMO operates the UK's Deposit Return Scheme for single-use plastic and metal drinks containers. Revenue is generated through the Return Handling Fee (RHF) paid by return point operators, operating on a tiered basis across manual and automatic return points. The scheme is funded through deposits from producers and handled through a network of return points.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The UK Deposit Management Organisation operates the United Kingdom's national Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for single-use plastic and metal drinks containers across England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, launching in October 2027. It administers the scheme infrastructure, charges a transaction-based Return Handling Fee to producers and retailers for container handling, and provides a Retailer Support Package to help sales points onboard and operate return collection. As a not-for-profit, business-led entity, it is the designated coordinator between beverage producers, retailers, and return point operators.

Product overview

UK Deposit Management Organisation (UK DMO), trading as Exchange for Change, operates a single unified product: the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for single-use plastic and metal drinks containers across England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The scheme is scheduled to launch in October 2027 and includes the Return Handling Fee system for return point operators, retailer support packages with exemptions and grants for small independent stores, and producer material specifications. UK DMO is a business-led, not-for-profit organisation responsible for the scheme's infrastructure design and delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• UK Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) Administration Nationwide Deposit Return Scheme administration covering single-use plastic and metal drinks containers across England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Designed for beverage producers, retailers, and return point operators required to participate under UK regulations, with the scheme launching October 2027.
• Return Handling Fee Transaction-based fee charged to producers and retailers for each container handled through the Deposit Return Scheme, funding scheme administration and container processing. Designed for beverage producers, importers, and retailers placing or selling single-use drinks containers in the UK market.
• Retailer Support Package Onboarding and operational support package for retailers and sales points operating as return points in the UK DRS, providing guidance for deposit redemption, container handling, and consumer-facing communication. Targeted at UK retailers, supermarkets, convenience stores, and hospitality venues participating in the scheme.
• Material Specifications for Collected Containers Standardised material specifications defining which single-use plastic and metal drinks containers are accepted within the UK Deposit Return Scheme, enabling consistent classification, reporting, and processing across producers, retailers, and recyclers. Used by producers, return point operators, and downstream recyclers participating in the scheme.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UK Deposit Management Organisation