Web Accessibility demands new standards by June 28

Ecommerce. A system historically favouring performance metrics, steered by design preference and engineered for immediacy. It's clear, the web has long privileged the abled shopper, but for the EU, that’s all about to change.

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) will force digital commerce to confront what it’s long overlooked in an effort to slash the 3% web accessibility rate and open the internet to millions more through inclusive, legally compliant design.

The deadline

On June 28, 2025, the EAA will come into force, bringing with it a sweeping mandate: all ecommerce web experiences in the EU must become accessible to users with disabilities. In the eyes of the European Commission, this means everyone should be able to perceive, understand, navigate and interact with the Internet. The clock is now ticking for brands operating across the region and as an agency, these are exactly the challenges we prepare for. Let’s start with the facts, and in Part 2 we’ll present the necessary actions.

A new legal standard for digital commerce

This article is meant as information and not legal advice. For more information please visit the official European Commission website.

The EAA is part of a broader global movement to ensure that people with disabilities can fully participate in the digital economy. It mandates that websites, mobile apps, and digital interfaces, especially in ecommerce, travel, banking, and other essential services, must be accessible. In the EU, this means aligning with WCAG 2.1, Level AA by default, with WCAG 2.2 now recommended.

If you haven’t heard of these acronyms, we've outlined the summaries below: 

• WCAG: The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) were created by the W3C’s Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) to ensure the web is accessible to all, including people with disabilities. It’s built on four founding principles: a website has to be perceivable, operable, understandable and robust.
  
• WCAG 2.1 updated in 2018, it expands the original WCAG 2.0 guidelines to include accessibility for mobile users, low vision, and cognitive disabilities.
  
• WCAG 2.2 is still in development and will address specific accessibility issues, focusing on acute cognitive and learning disabilities.
  
• Level AA is the baseline standard required for legal compliance, and what websites must achieve by June 28th. In part 2 we will outline the steps required to meet Level AA, stay tuned.

While the EU is leading the charge, it’s far from alone. In the UK, digital accessibility is covered under the Equality Act 2010, making non-compliant websites vulnerable to legal action for discrimination. In the US, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has been used to sue businesses whose websites aren’t accessible. Australia enforces accessibility through the Disability Discrimination Act and in Argentina, Law 26,653 makes both public and private websites subject to accessibility requirements.

Accessibility is no longer a regional concern, it’s a global expectation. And yet, the current digital landscape tells a very different story.

While public sector websites have been under obligations for years, this is the first time private ecommerce operations are being brought into scope. This means every brand selling goods or services into the EU, regardless of where they’re based must comply.

There is only one exception. Micro-enterprises (businesses with fewer than 10 employees and under €2 million annual turnover) are exempt from these new requirements. But for the rest of ecommerce brands, the law applies in full.

Accessibility is no longer a regional concern, it’s a global expectation. And yet, the current digital landscape tells a very different story.

Every brand selling goods or services into the EU, regardless of where they’re based must comply.

What’s actually changing?

In short: it will change everything.

However, it’s not a case of reinventing the wheel. Rather than re-strategising how we develop websites, it’s about rethinking the choices we make during the process. From sitemapping a more screen-reader friendly journey to prioritising alt text, we can all make more accessible choices.

In practice, WCAG 2.1, Level AA provides a framework for brands to make content more accessible to a wide range of users - visually impaired, hearing impaired, cognitively diverse, and beyond.

This is achieved via:

• Logical, screen-reader-friendly HTML
  
• High-contrast colour palettes and accessible typography
  
• Alt text for meaningful images
  
• Full keyboard navigability (no mouse required)
  
• Clearly labelled form fields and interactive elements
  
• No reliance on hover-only actions or inaccessible JavaScript
  
• Zoomable text and reflow-friendly layouts

In practice, the standards provide a framework for brands to make content more accessible for millions

What does this mean for ecommerce teams?

The impact will stretch across multiple roles. UX and design teams will need to rethink visual hierarchies and interactions. Developers will need to refactor code. Merchandisers will need to ensure product content is properly structured. Even customer service teams will play a role in addressing new user needs, on the frontlines addressing accessibility mishaps in real-time and typing query responses for articulation. 

For ecommerce brands operating across borders, especially in fashion, beauty, and lifestyle, there’s added complexity. Multi-language sites, mobile-first UX, dynamic merchandising: all of it now needs to meet accessibility standards. And for Shopify brands, that may involve careful theme updates, app evaluations, and frontend adjustments.

A few interesting mandates you could miss:

• Alt text: every image needs a voice
  
• Contextual CTAs: “Click Here” is not enough, Call to actions must be clear and easy for screen-readers to translate.
  
• All visible text must have enough contrast with its background to be clearly readable. Small text must meet a higher threshold than large, bold text.
  
• Animated banners will cause problems… we’ll tell you why in part 2!

Design teams will need to rethink visual hierarchies and interactions.

The risk of doing nothing

Failure to meet these standards will result in a poor user experience, and it could soon mean fines, reputational damage to your brand, and exclusion from major markets. And as with GDPR, early non-compliance is likely to attract the highest scrutiny.

But just as importantly, inaccessibility excludes customers. With over 87 million people in the EU living with some form of disability, that’s not just unethical, it’s bad business.

We know this feels overwhelming, but these are all 100% avoidable with the right steps taken!

What comes next

Many teams are only just beginning to audit their digital experiences for accessibility. Some are waiting for clearer guidance. Others are unaware of how close the deadline really is.

That’s why we’re creating a follow-up guide: a practical, ecommerce-focused checklist to help brand and tech teams get started. It outlines the must-do fixes, common pain points, and how to quickly assess your current site against WCAG standards.

This guide isn’t theory, it’s what we use internally as we help brands across Europe get compliant. However, full disclaimer, we are not legal advisors or specialists in accessibility. Please visit the official European Commission website for extensive information.

Our Web Accessibility Guide is coming!

Our full guide is coming next week! Discover what accessibility looks like when done correctly and how to test, check and implement it yourself. We’ll also share our top accessibility auditors and experts helping brands meet the June 28 deadline. Stay tuned and sign-up to our newsletter below for early access!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the European Accessibility Act (EAA)?

The European Accessibility Act is EU legislation requiring digital commerce experiences to be accessible to people with disabilities. It came into force on 28 June 2025, mandating that websites, apps, and digital interfaces let everyone perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with online services.

Who must comply with the European Accessibility Act?

Every brand selling goods or services into the EU must comply, regardless of where the business is based. The only exception is micro-enterprises with fewer than 10 employees and under 2 million euro annual turnover. It is the first time private e-commerce, not just public-sector sites, is in scope.

What accessibility standard does the EAA require?

The EAA aligns with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at Level AA by default, with WCAG 2.2 now recommended. Level AA is the baseline for legal compliance, built on four principles: content must be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.

What do e-commerce teams need to change for accessibility?

Practical changes include logical, screen-reader-friendly HTML, high-contrast colours and accessible typography, alt text for meaningful images, full keyboard navigability, clearly labelled form fields, no hover-only actions, and zoomable, reflow-friendly layouts. It affects design, development, merchandising, and customer-service teams alike.

What happens if you ignore the European Accessibility Act?

Non-compliance risks a poor user experience, fines, reputational damage, and exclusion from major EU markets. As with GDPR, early non-compliance is likely to attract the most scrutiny. It also excludes the over 87 million people in the EU living with a disability.

Does web accessibility apply outside the EU?

Yes. Accessibility is a global expectation. The UK enforces it under the Equality Act 2010, the US via the Americans with Disabilities Act, Australia through the Disability Discrimination Act, and Argentina under Law 26,653. Non-accessible sites face legal risk in many jurisdictions.