European Accessibility Act: what online shops need to know now

Since 28 June 2025 the European Accessibility Act applies across the EU – in Germany through the Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG), in Austria through the Barrierefreiheitsgesetz (BaFG). It requires many businesses to make their digital offers usable for everyone, including people with visual, hearing or motor impairments. For online shops this is particularly relevant.

Who is affected?

The law applies to certain products and services aimed at consumers. In the digital space this mainly includes:

• Online shops and other e-commerce services
• Banking and payment services
• Booking and ticketing portals, e.g. in passenger transport
• E-books and the software used to read them

Micro-enterprises providing services are exempt – companies with fewer than ten employees and an annual turnover or balance sheet total of no more than two million euros. Pure B2B shops that only sell to businesses are generally not covered either.

What does “accessible” mean in practice?

The requirements are based on recognised standards such as the European norm EN 301 549, which builds on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Put simply, your shop must be perceivable, operable, understandable and robust. Typical issues include:

• Product images without alternative text
• Weak contrast between text and background
• Forms and checkout that can't be used with a keyboard
• Input fields without labels and unclear error messages
• Zooming blocked on smartphones

You also need to explain in an easily accessible form how your offer meets the accessibility requirements – for example in a dedicated accessibility statement.

What happens in case of violations?

Compliance is monitored by market surveillance authorities. They can demand improvements and, in extreme cases, order an offer to be taken down. In Germany the law also provides for fines of up to 100,000 euros. On top of that, there is the risk of warning letters from competitors or associations.

Five steps to an accessible shop

1. 1

   Take stock

   Check your homepage, category and product pages and the checkout – automated tests find many typical issues in minutes.

2. 2

   Go for quick wins

   Add alt text, improve contrast, label form fields and allow zooming – that often achieves a lot already.

3. 3

   Test keyboard navigation

   Go through the purchase process using only the Tab key. Wherever you get stuck, your customers get stuck too.

4. 4

   Publish a statement

   Describe how your shop meets the requirements and how people can report barriers.

5. 5

   Check continuously

   New products and content bring new errors. Regular automated checks keep your shop clean.

Note: this article gives a general overview and is not legal advice. Please check with a lawyer whether and how the law applies to your business.