Co-operative Group’s chief executive Steve Murrells has appealed for wider industry action across the globe to join the mutual in its fight against water poverty.

Murrells appeared on stage with popular music megastars on 6 July to announce a new initiative to fight water poverty.

He attended the annual Global Citizen Festival in Hamburg, Germany, with Coldplay, Ellie Goulding and Pharrell Williams to kick start the Global Fund for Water to raise funds to invest in essential water and sanitation projects.

The Co-op committed to give a penny for every litre of branded water it sells for a new Global Investment Fund for Water which aims to provide water, sanitation and hygiene where it is needed most.

It estimates this will raise more than £10m over the next decade.

Murrells believes $100m (£77m) could be raised annually for the poorest and most underserved communities if producers and retailers across the world join it in its fight against water poverty.

“To make a real impact all branded water producers and retailers across the world need to join forces,” he said. “People’s lives depend on it.”