The ruling was made because their grocery website and app did not comply with Consumer Code requirements, which state that digital services need to be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust, in line with WCAG Success Criteria.
Article L. 412-13 of the Consumer Code specifically says that these websites must “provide e-commerce services that comply with the accessibility requirements”.
According to the court, their online grocery is clearly not accessible as it has accessibility issues, such as insufficient colour contrast, images without alternative text, and incompatibility with screen readers.
With the condemnation, Carrefour now has six months to resolve these issues and become compliant with accessibility regulations, under a penalty of €500 per day, and €10,000 in compensation for moral damages.
You’ve probably heard that “accessibility isn’t an option; it’s a necessity”. This law enforcement applied on Carrefour shows that this isn’t just a catchphrase, but a reality.
Our Founder, Kyran O’Mahoney, shares a personal perspective on this:
"Technology has enabled me to live independently and overcome many obstacles in my life. The EAA is an extension of that and will allow people of all abilities to live independently in our digital world.”
Digital accessibility has been a regulatory topic for years now, and with this important ruling, it’s undeniable that actions need to be taken right now.
A demonstration of both the urgency and scale of the problem is The WebAIM Million report of 2026, which tests the accessibility of the top 1 million websites worldwide, and found that 96% of the homepages contained detected accessibility issues.
For organisations operating within the EU, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) has been in effect since June 2025. It was introduced to ensure that websites, apps, and other digital content meet digital accessibility standards.
That means that, since last year, digital accessibility issues within companies’ websites and apps that in the past could go unnoticed may now result in legal consequences.
Legal fines and penalties are not the only reason why organisations should comply with the EAA. When digital accessibility is not a priority, they can face damaged reputation, increased regulatory pressure, loss of business opportunities, and, more importantly, exclude more than one billion people worldwide.
When looking at the Carrefour case, their accessibility statement was used to explain that they are currently 71% compliant with WCAG standards, with the plan to achieve full compliance by the end of the year. This was contested by the judicial court, as people with disabilities could not use their digital services, especially those with visual impairments.
That is a clear example that a list of accessibility issues isn't enough to achieve compliance with digital accessibility regulations. The focus should be on knowing how to resolve them; and this is exactly what we do.
Here we believe that web accessibility is only one part of digital inclusion, and that accessibility audits are just the first step. We analyse, detect, and provide guidance on how to fix digital accessibility issues; but also deliver a platform that monitors your pages constantly to alert you any time a new issue is found.
In the Nexus Inclusion platform, you can also find tools to prevent accessibility issues from happening:
Alt-Text Generator – so you never add an image without complementary alternative text
Audio & Video Transcription – so users always have an alternative way to comprehend the content you’ve published
Text-to-Speech – so your audience can rely on audio as an alternative to text-based content
Webpage Contrast Checker – so your pages always meet colour contrast requirements, benefiting mostly users with visual disabilities
Webpage Tab Order – so you can make sure your website is accessible to users relying on keyboard navigation
Content Scanner – so you can check the structure, readability, and complexity of your content before publishing
Our goal is to make the internet an inclusive place for people of all abilities, ages, and backgrounds. This is why our platform not only helps resolve accessibility issues but also supports organisations in maintaining compliance and avoiding new barriers to accessibility.
If you want to improve accessibility, reduce risk, and build more inclusive digital experiences, get in touch with us. We’ll be happy to help.
This guideline will help businesses understand their obligations and take the necessary steps to ensure compliance with the EAA.
Jennifer Leite, Digital Marketing and Content Creator
This article will guide you not only towards understanding the concept but learning how to apply Digital Inclusion beyond accessibility compliance in practice.
Jennifer Leite, Digital Marketing and Content Creator
At the heart of WCAG is a fundamental principle represented by the acronym POUR: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust. Learn more.
Shruti Sawant, Former Contributor, Accessibility Expert
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