Accessibility in e-commerce

Accessibility in e-commerce has been a topic that has turned many online stores upside down since the "BFSG". The aim is to ensure that every visitor, regardless of their abilities, can easily navigate the store. But what exactly is behind the BFSG, what do online stores have to do and who does it apply to?

The BFSG is effectively the German implementation of EU Directive 2019/882 (European Accessibility Act, EAA), which aims to ensure that products and services are accessible to everyone. In concrete terms, this means that your online store should be designed in such a way that anyone can use it, regardless of whether they have poor eyesight or hearing or have difficulty using the mouse.

An "accessibility statement" must be available on the website. It should make it clear to users how accessibility has been implemented on the website and where there may still be problems. The statement should be easy to find, understandable and up-to-date.
Attention should be paid to these points:

• Perceivability - Everything must be comprehensible for everyone: Content such as text, images and videos must be easily recognizable and understandable. Alternative texts for images help to make information accessible even without visual perception. For example, instead of the file name IMG_1234.jpg, a text such as "Red dress with floral pattern, knee-length" is now often used as a description. Videos have also been given subtitles so that deaf or hard of hearing people can understand everything.
• Usability: Navigation must be easy. Simple navigation is essential. A clear structure, the option of using the keyboard and sufficient contrast are important aspects. Keyboard operation, for example, has been improved for this purpose. The tab key can now be used to navigate through all links and fields. Contrast also plays a role: the colors have been chosen so that everything is easy to read, for example with dark text on a light background.
• Comprehensibility: No complicated formulations. Simple language helps to ensure that information is accessible to all users. Forms should also be easy to fill out, as the ordering process is explained step by step. And if something goes wrong, there are clear error messages: Instead of a cryptic code, a message such as "Please enter a valid e-mail address" appears.
• Robustness: The store must work everywhere. This means, for example, that screen readers, i.e. the software that reads out the screen content, can also do this without any problems. The website is therefore structured in such a way that screen readers can recognize and read out everything correctly. The design also adapts to any device: The store looks good on both computers and smartphones and is easy to use.

The BFSG generally applies to all manufacturers, retailers and importers who sell products or services to end consumers in Germany. There are exceptions for very small companies.
The majority of the requirements had to be fully implemented by June 28, 2025.
And beware: if accessibility is not guaranteed, it can be expensive! Fines of up to 100,000 euros are possible. You can also be warned by competitors or trade associations. And in the worst case, the market surveillance authority can even demand that a store be taken offline until accessibility is guaranteed.

Barrierefreiheit im E-Commerce bedeutet, dass niemand ausgeschlossen wird.
Indem Online-Shops barrierefrei gestaltet werden, werden alle Menschen inkludiert – unabhängig davon, ob sie aktuell eine Einschränkung oder Behinderung haben.

Denn Einschränkungen können jeden treffen – dauerhaft, vorübergehend oder situativ:
Zum Beispiel erschwert Sonnenlicht auf dem Display das Lesen (situativ), eine Bindehautentzündung kann das Sehvermögen vorübergehend beeinträchtigen (vorübergehend) oder eine Erkrankung der Netzhaut des Auges führt zu einer Seheinschränkung (dauerhaft).
Barrierefreiheit ist also keine Sonderlösung oder "nur" ein neues Gesetz, sondern ein Gewinn für alle: Menschen mit Einschränkungen sind oft auf technologische Unterstützung angewiesen, aber auch alle anderen profitieren von klarer Struktur, guter Lesbarkeit und intuitiver Bedienung. 

So stärkt Barrierefreiheit nicht nur die Teilhabe, sondern verbessert zugleich die Benutzerfreundlichkeit und das Shoppingerlebnis für alle Kund*innen - und erfüllt dabei selbstverständlich die gesetzlichen Anforderungen.

The BFSG has undoubtedly led to a rethink in e-commerce and brought the issue of accessibility into focus. Many online stores have already made considerable progress and are successfully implementing the requirements of the law. Nevertheless, accessibility is not a state, but a continuous process. It is important to stay on the ball, regularly review your own efforts and always focus on the needs of users.