How will the European Accessibility Act (EAA) Impact Digital Experiences?

The EAA came into force on 28 June 2025. It legally requires any organisation doing business within or with the EU to meet specific digital accessibility standards. Non-compliance can lead to severe consequences, including fines or prison time.

Enforcement has already begun. Within a week of the Act going live, France issued claims against four major grocery chains, giving them until 1 September to become accessible — showing regulators are serious.

What does accessibility means under the EAA?

Traditional understanding focuses on physical accessibility (ramps, signage), but the EAA expands this to digital accessibility, including any digital content used to sell, market, or operate in the EU. These must follow recognised standards, specifically WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines). Covering elements like poor colour contrast, keyboard accessibility, image alt text. intuitive link and button names, captioned video and proper heading structure.

The business case for accessibility

Beyond the legal and moral obligation, digital accessibility is a significant commercial opportunity.

In the US, disabled travellers spent $25 billion per year on travel, hospitality, and leisure. In the UK, businesses lose £2 billion per month due to inaccessible digital experiences (“The Purple Pound”).

• 95% of disabled users stay loyal to accessible brands.
• 71% leave a website if it is difficult to use.
• 86% would pay more for the same product on an accessible site.
• Around 24% of UK adults have a disability (1 in 4).
• Making content and venues accessible could instantly expand potential attendance by 25%.

What organisations should do

Ensure digital materials pass WCAG 2.1. Use tools that support accessibility checking and test digital products with keyboard navigation, screen readers and automated checkers (for color contrast, alt text, headings).

Final takeaway

Digital accessibility is:

• A legal requirement under the EAA
• The right thing to do from an inclusion standpoint
• Good business practice with measurable ROI
• Essential to reach the full potential audience

By making digital content and event experiences accessible, organisations can:

• Avoid fines
• Increase attendance
• Improve customer satisfaction
• Unlock large, often underserved markets

If you would like to discuss digital accessibility or inclusive design in general, please contact Ben Horner or Maxine Dunham.