Coca-Cola European Partners Great Britain Limited will supply its own retail water and wastewater services.

The firm, which operates 12 sites, six of which are manufacturing facilities, is the fourth company in England to be granted a licence to self-supply by water regulator Ofwat.

Greene King, Marston’s and Whitbread are the three other companies with the licence since the business retail water market launched in April 2017 in England.

The four firms together serve more than 14,000 sites across the UK.

Emma Kelso, Ofwat’s Senior Director for Customers and Casework said: “It’s good to see Coca-Cola European Partners, the world’s largest independent Coca-Cola bottler, opting to be a self-supplier.

“They recognise the value of the opportunities the business retail market provides and it will be interesting to see what types of innovation and efficiencies will emerge from Coca-Cola running their water and wastewater services.”