Total unemployment in the past three months across the UK has reached 2.38m – a rise of 281,000, and a rate of 7.6% – the highest since 1995.

Kyle Jardine, research and information manager at the BPIF, estimated that about 3,000 jobs had been lost in the print industry so far this year with almost 200 companies closing their doors in the first two quarters of the year.

The findings contradict optimistic data about a rapid recovery from the recession and suggest there will be a significant lag in employment rates once the recession technically ends, which is expected in the third or fourth quarter of the year.

During the recession, print and manufacturing have borne the brunt of the job losses and negative economic growth.

Statistics recently published by the Office of National Statistics revealed output from the manufacturing industries fell by 0.5% between April and May, with paper, printing and publishing experiencing the steepest decline of 2%.

Tony Burke, assistant general secretary of Unite, said "There has been a definite slowdown, but many of our members are still in consultation and we are predicting continuing job losses into 2010."

Jardine agreed: "Even when things start to recover there will be a lag before employment picks up."