Waitrose has a bit of a challenge on its hands when it comes to its food, fashion and home store in Canary Wharf.

The grocer needs to let customers know about its new offer while not detracting from its core food business – and it needs to do so while sticking to its overall message of quality.

The temptation might be to be functional, hitting consumers with a list of products now available at the shop. Instead, working with agency Kicatt Nohr Digitas, the grocer has opted to inspire shoppers.

A direct marketing drive started on September 25 with material going out to local residents who already shop at Canary Wharf to alert them to the changes, and an outdoor campaign bombards shoppers with images from around the store.

The campaign is not so different for Waitrose, but the images are still striking. Using the strapline  ‘You’ll be surprised at what you’ll find’, the ads feature pictures of cauliflowers and grapes with teapots and handbags hidden in them.

“Waitrose is fundamentally famous for food, and no one expects fashion from it. It was about finding a way of making sure people didn’t think it was just another Waitrose,” says Kitcatt Nohr Digitas planning director David Yates.

The ads are aimed both at busy City workers and leisurely weekend shoppers who visit Canary Wharf. For the time being the campaign is local, but may be used further, depending on the format’s success.

The grocer will watch to see how shoppers react to its new format – and as other retailers struggle in non-food categories, so will its competitors.