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Continued strikes at Royal Mail could force direct marketing companies to use alternative media to disperse information, the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) has said.

DMA head of postal affairs Alex Walsh told printweek.com: "The longer strikes go on, the more people are looking at alternatives, such as electronic delivery and traditional methods like TV and the press."

He added that once companies change to alternative methods, they usually stay with them. Walsh explained: "It could be sad news for the printing industry because if companies switch to other media, they rarely make the move back to their original methods."

He said more strikes over pay and conditions, which are due to run for two weeks starting tomorrow, were "not good news".

"When communicating with customers, we need a degree of certainty. So far there have been no major implications from the strikes. But larger numbers of people are looking at alternatives or delaying mail-outs until industrial action stops," he said.

Royal Mail workers have been further shored up for strikes today after a 24pp document leaked to the Daily Mirror suggested pensions would be slashed unless employees work five years longer. Some could see their retirement pay halved, the newspaper added.

The final salary scheme would be closed to new members from next year, according to the document, which the Royal Mail is claiming is out of date.

Dave Ward, deputy general secretary of the Communication Workers Union, said: "This is a savage attack on pay and conditions.

"Our members aren't going to roll over and accept this. It will only galvanise support for strike action."

The cuts are designed to tackle a £6bn shortfall in the pension fund by saving £1.5bn over five years.