On June 28, 2025, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) comes into force. This law requires e-commerce companies to make their digital platforms accessible to people with disabilities. But what does that mean in practice for your webshop?
In this article:
- How the EAA impacts your online store
- The difference between the EAA, WCAG and GDPR
- What needs to be done now, and what can wait
- How to get started quickly and pragmatically
What changes for e-commerce businesses?
The EAA legislation 2025 specifically targets digital services. For online shops, this means your entire customer journey must be digitally accessible. This includes:
- Product pages
Clear descriptions, alt text on images, good readability - Checkout flows
Accessible forms, buttons, error handling, payment steps - Customer support
At least one accessible digital channel (chat, email, etc.)
Mobile experiences must also be compliant.
How is it different from WCAG or GDPR?
Many assume that WCAG compliance is enough. It isn’t. Here’s the difference:
| Area | WCAG | EAA 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Guidelines | Technical | Legal + Technical |
| Scope | General | Commercial + B2C |
| Enforcement | Minimal | Actively monitored, with penalties |
| Focus | Websites | Full service: website, apps, support |
The EAA is not a guideline — it’s a legal requirement with enforcement.
What needs to happen now, and what can wait?
You don’t need to fix everything overnight, but you do need a roadmap.
Quick wins (now):
- Improve contrast and readability
- Add alt text to product images
- Ensure keyboard navigation works during checkout
Structural changes (later):
- Bake accessibility into your development roadmap
- Ensure future updates remain compliant
- Integrate accessibility into your customer support processes
Start with the Free EAA Quickscan
We built a free EAA Quickscan tailored for e-commerce businesses. In just 5 minutes, you’ll know if your business falls under the law and where your biggest risks are.