Stores in England will only pay wholesale prices if application for self-supply licence succeeds.
John Lewis and Partners is dipping a toe into the water industry by applying to become its own supplier at some of its stores.
The retailer plans to take charge of supplying water to its John Lewis and Waitrose stores in England through a self-supply licence.
If the application is successful, John Lewis will become the first retailer to skip the margin charged by water suppliers and pay direct wholesale prices instead.