According to the European Accessibility Act (EAA), from 28 June 2025, businesses will be legally required to ensure that their digital services – including e-commerce websites and mobile apps – are fully accessible to people with disabilities. This regulation applies not just to EU-based brands, but also to any company worldwide that sells products or services to EU consumers online. For retailers, it’s no longer just a matter of corporate social responsibility, but one of legal compliance, customer experience, and commercial risk.

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What Does the EAA Mean for Retailers?

If you're running an ecommerce site or app that serves EU customers, the EAA requires that it be accessible to all users, regardless of their abilities. This includes:

• Full compatibility with screen readers and keyboard navigation

• Alt text, captions, and clear error messaging

• All interactive elements usable and understandable for everyone

• Documentation and support for your site's accessible features

Compliance is based on WCAG 2.1 AA standards and will be enforceable by national regulators across the EU starting mid-2025.

Retailers that don’t comply with the EAA could face hefty fines and legal action, market bans and reputational damage from inaccessible experiences driving consumers elsewhere. With a potential EU market of 80+ million people with disabilities, accessibility is also a chance to reach more customers and deliver better digital experiences for all.

Chintan Shah, Head of QA for The Commerce Team Global explains that: ‘’Retailers are legally required to comply with the EAA, and doing so also aligns with modern business values of inclusion, social responsibility, and broad customer reach, which represents an opportunity to improve your digital storefront for all users.’’  

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Why Now?

Technical audits, platform remediation, internal training and organisational change take time, and accessibility should be handled as a transformation project instead of a last-minute fix. Waiting to take action will put your brand under increasing pressure, facing higher costs, rushed solutions, and increased scrutiny.

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Need Help Navigating the EAA?

At The Commerce Team Global, we specialise in ecommerce platform builds, enhancements, and compliance. As expert system integrators, we help retail brands:

• Audit and testing with combined automated tools and real user testing.

• Structured reporting to enable your teams to prioritise fixes based on impact and urgency, ensuring that resources are deployed effectively.

• Remediation, as we implement code and UI fixes across all major commerce platforms to meet WCAG 2.2 standards.

• Integration into the development lifecycle, as we provide guidance on how to maintain compliance with every code release, content update, or site refresh, reducing the risk of regression.

• Ongoing monitoring and advisory support

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Get in touch at info@thecommerceteam.com and we can help you achieve accessible ecommerce, on time and on budget.

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