The long-running battle for Safeway is expected to continue into next year, according to a report in the Daily Telegraph.
The delay is being caused by the three rejected supermarket bidders who have failed to sign undertakings required by the competition authorities.
It was hoped that Asda, Sainsbury's and Tesco would agree to the undertakings by next week, but this now looks unlikely.
It has been claimed that Asda is questioning the commission's ruling that the three chains are prohibited from buying any part of Safeway except the 53 stores that Morrisons is being forced to sell.
Meanwhile, Morrisons is trying to persuade the Office of Fair Trading that it should sell only 45 stores, rather than the 53 required by the commission.
The supermarket group is highly unlikely to sign its undertakings until Asda, Sainsbury's and Tesco have reached an agreement.
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