Accessibility in online shops is not just about user-friendliness; starting June 2025, it will be a legal obligation. The introduction of the Accessibility Strengthening Act (BFSG) requires online shop operators in Germany to remove digital barriers. But how well-prepared are they?
In collaboration with DataPulse, we conducted a comprehensive accessibility analysis of over 2,400 German online shops to evaluate the current state of accessibility. The findings highlight substantial gaps in compliance and readiness.
“Accessibility is not just a legal obligation – it’s an opportunity to make digital content available to everyone, fostering inclusion and equal opportunities.”
Accessibility Becomes Mandatory: What the BFSG Means for Online Retailers
The digital world should be accessible to everyone. However, for individuals with disabilities, many websites and online shops remain difficult or impossible to use. Small font sizes, missing alternative texts, and inadequate contrasts limit access for millions of people. This not only impacts user experience but also excludes entire demographics.
The BFSG introduces a mandate for change. From June 28, 2025, online shops in Germany must ensure their websites are fully accessible to people with disabilities. This applies to all e-commerce operators, regardless of size, unless they qualify as micro-enterprises.
Who Does the BFSG Affect?
The law applies to all providers of products and services operating in Germany, including:
- Online shop operators selling directly to consumers.
- Platforms mediating services.
- Companies engaged in both brick-and-mortar retail and e-commerce.
Exemptions apply to “micro-enterprises” (§5 3 Abs. 3, 2 Nr. 17 BFSG). Companies with fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover or balance sheet total under €2 million are not required to comply.
Employee counts include full-time staff fully and part-time staff proportionally.
Methodology: Evaluating Accessibility
We analyzed the homepages of 2,446 German online shops across different sectors, using the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, 2.1, and 2.2 as benchmarks. Our criteria focused on:
- Text contrast levels
- Use of alternative texts for images
- Navigation structures
- Implementation of ARIA attributes
To assess accessibility, we employed automated tools like the Lighthouse Accessibility Score (0–100 points). Evaluations adhered to WCAG principles, which include:
- Perceivable: Content must be visible and audible.
- Operable: Functions should be easy to use.
- Understandable: Information must be easy to comprehend.
- Robust: Content should work on diverse devices and software.
Key Findings: Current State of German E-Commerce Accessibility
1. Overall Overview
The analysis paints a mixed picture. While some shops meet high accessibility standards, the majority require significant changes to comply with the BFSG:
- 1% (28 shops) met all accessibility requirements.
- 19.7% achieved a score of 90+ (good).
- 80.1% scored between 50–89 (average).
- 0.2% (5 shops) scored below 50 (critical).
2. Common Accessibility Issues
The analysis identified the following frequent barriers:
- Lack of proper navigation landmarks
- Insufficient text contrasts
- Missing or incorrect alternative texts for images
3. Top 10 Accessible Online Shops
These shops stand out as leaders in accessibility, meeting nearly all BFSG requirements:
4. Bottom 10 Online Shops
These shops showed the most significant accessibility gaps, requiring immediate improvements:
Limitations of the Study
While this study offers valuable insights, some limitations must be noted:
- Homepage Focus: The analysis was limited to shop homepages. Evaluating full site accessibility would require examining product pages, checkout processes, and more.
- Automated Testing: Automated tools cannot assess all accessibility aspects. Manual reviews would provide a deeper understanding.
- Blocked Tools: Some shops blocked our tools, excluding them from the analysis.
- Technical Focus: Content simplicity, linguistic accessibility, and process usability were not deeply analyzed.
- Snapshot: Results reflect the status as of November 2024 and may change as shops prepare for the BFSG.
Conclusion & Outlook
The study highlights the urgent need for action in German e-commerce. While some shops are ahead, most need substantial overhauls to meet the BFSG’s requirements by June 2025. Now is the time to act and lay the foundation for an inclusive digital future.
