A Whole Foods store in California has taken out a restraining order against vegan activists who planned to "occupy" the premises. 

The store in Berkeley, California, has been locked in a bitter battle with the group Direct Action Everywhere (DxE), which has accused the organic chain of animal welfare violations.

Whole Foods, which is owned by Amazon, accused 150 members of the group of illegally trespassing in its complaint. 

DxE, had planned to camp out in and around the chain’s Berkeley shop in protest against alleged animal welfare violations by some of Amazon’s suppliers.

“DxE members have repeatedly entered our stores and property to conduct demonstrations that disrupt customers and team members by blocking access to our aisles, departments, and cash registers, interfering with our business and putting the safety of both customers and team members at risk,” Betsy Harden, a spokesperson for Whole Foods told the Daily Californian.

The restraining order marks the latest in an on-going tussle. DxE, which advocates "total animal liberation", has staged demonstrations at outside Whole Foods’ Berkeley shop for several years, calling for greater transparency in the company’s supply chain.

The activists have employed tactics such as chanting in stores to covering eggs in fake blood and brandishing graphic photos of animal slaughter.

It had planned to "occupy" the high-end grocery store for a week, saying that the all-natural food chain’s “organic” label doesn’t necessarily guarantee their suppliers are treating their farm animals “humanely.” 

The group claims that some suppliers to Whole Foods keep chickens in crowded sheds and do not allow the animals to go outside, even when they are labelled as free-range. 

On its website, Whole Foods states that it has "true partnerships with farmers, ranchers and animal-welfare experts to ensure the treatment of animals is guided by care, responsibility and respect".

The company also has a five-tier animal welfare rating system to allow customers to "make informed food choices".

In its court filing, Whole Foods said protesters have prevented customers from completing their purchases and posed a danger to shoppers and staff.

Last week’s court ruling grants the shop a temporary restraining order on its Berkeley premises, but the grocery chain has attempted to block DxE from accessing any of its stores across California

A judge will rule on the request on October 26.