Bidders circling Morrisons-owned maternity specialist Kiddicare are understood to include City financier Jon Moulton and investment firms Hilco, R Capital and Endless.

The sale is also said to have attracted interest from Tesco and Amazon although sources told Sky News neither are likely to lodge a formal bid.

Embattled Morrison’s, which has suffered poor trading in recent months, is expected to pay a dowry to offload the Kiddicare brand.

In March, Morrison’s said Kiddicare was no longer strategic for the business and that it had taken a £163m charge on the maternitywear specialist. The grocer bought the retailer for £70m in 2011, with the aim to aid its own transition to becoming a multi-channel retailer.

It is not clear whether a sale would include all 10 stores operating under the Kiddicare name. The process is being handled by Rothschild.