A supermarket giant has denied "relegating" a poppy seller into its "freezing cold" front foyer.

It comes after a shopper hit out at Sainsbury's in Park Farm Retail Park in Folkestone, accusing the store of making a Royal British Legion poppy seller fundraise outside the premises.

A spokesman for the store said that the fundraiser chooses the open foyer position and has been invited back into the store on several occasions.

The spokesman said that the store also offers the volunteers tea or coffee.

Victoria Woodbridge addressed the store on its Facebook page last Saturday and said: "They deserve better when helping the rest of us remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

"I was therefore extremely disappointed and disheartened to see that the poppy man had been relegated to the open foyer area of the store where it was absolutely freezing cold and very windy."

Sainsbury's customer services replied on the social media post, and said that there was no room - as the firework and security stand was placed just inside of the front entrance.

But the supermarket's head office said these comments were not accurate.

The Park Farm store's entrance has two automatic sliding doors at either end that open when people approach them.

The post was liked by more than 230 people and has been shared 32 times with 46 people posting their views.

The Royal British Legion sells poppies every year, and volunteers are often supported by supermarkets in their efforts.

A Sainsbury’s spokesman said: “Our stores have been welcoming Poppy Appeal collectors for 22 years and we always do our best to make them feel welcome, providing hot drinks and a visible location, convenient for the collector.

"The misleading accusations are upsetting to both our Folkestone store colleagues and the Poppy collector himself who chose his collection point, as they come together to raise as many funds as possible for this great cause.”

The Cheriton and Morehall Branch has posted pictures to its Facebook site of fundraising efforts in Cheriton's Tesco store and in the foyer of Morrison's in Cheriton Road.

KentOnline has approached the Cheriton and Morehall branch for an official comment.

Remembrance Sunday takes place this weekend.