US-based healthy grocery chain Whole Foods is under fire for a directive given to employees to not wear poppies during the Remembrance Day period. 

Less than a week before the Remembrance Day holiday, honouring the veterans who sacrificed their lives in the service of Canada, Whole Foods employees are being told they cannot wear a poppy pin -- the traditional symbol of remembrance distributed by the Royal Canadian Legion.

According to the store, poppies are not in compliance with the recently-updated dress code, which went into effect on November 2.

Whole Foods, which is owned by Amazon, recently banned its employees from wearing pins, buttons, and even clothing with visible logos on it. The store confirmed that poppies are a violation of this updated policy, with some employees stating that they were told the pins would suggest "support for a cause."

One employee who spoke to CBC News under the promise of anonymity said "I was basically told … if they allowed this one particular cause, then it would open up the door so that they would have to allow or consider allowing other causes."