8 in 10 Top U.K. Retail Websites Have Critical Accessibility Issues

Retailers risk excluding customers ahead of the U.K.’s busiest online shopping period

STAFFORD, VA, Sept. 26, 2025 – Level Access, a global leader in digital accessibility, has found that the majority of U.K. retail websites do not meet basic digital accessibility requirements.

Analysis of websites for the U.K.’s 100 most popular retail brands revealed that 84% contained issues that could create critical barriers for users with disabilities on their homepages. These barriers can result in a poor, or completely unusable shopping experience for anyone with a temporary or permanent disability.

The Level Access analysis also found at least one violation of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.1 Level AA—the global benchmark for an intermediate level of accessibility—on all of the homepages tested. The most common errors included:

• Links and buttons missing descriptive names (which are important so that controls, such as “Add to Cart” or “Play Video,” are communicated to people who can’t see the screen or perceive a button’s visual label)
• Insufficient text contrast (which is important so that text is readable for people with low vision)
• Incorrect heading structure (which is important so that people using assistive technology such as a screen reader can understand the relationships and structure of content on a page)
• Images missing alternative text (which is important so that people who can’t perceive an image visually understand its purpose)
• Navigation and other page regions missing accessible names (which are important for helping people using assistive technology navigate and understand the sections on a page)

Digital accessibility was brought into sharp focus earlier this year after the European Accessibility Act (EAA) became enforceable. Under the new regulations, companies failing to meet digital accessibility requirements risk severe fines and even market bans.

“With EAA enforcement underway, retailers that serve EU customers must prioritise digital accessibility,” says Russell Webb, VP of Europe at Level Access. “But failure to create accessible digital experiences isn’t just a compliance issue. Brands that neglect to address barriers are ultimately at a competitive disadvantage,’’ explains Webb.

According to the Office of National Statistics, 16 million people in the U.K. have disabilities. By neglecting to ensure their websites are accessible, retailers may be excluding a large number of potential consumers, limiting sales, brand loyalty, and customer retention.

Level Access works with retailers in the U.K., and globally, to improve digital accessibility. For example, Level Access enabled shapewear brand Honeylove to enhance its customer experience and mitigate legal risk by helping it to fix 99% of the issues on its website.

“We show up every day aiming to provide a best-in-class experience to all of our customers,” says Samara Bekkering, Supervisor of Customer Experience at Honeylove. “Our partnership with Level Access allows us to ensure that everyone who visits our website has an exceptional experience with Honeylove.”

“Digital accessibility not only ensures an equitable experience for all shoppers, but is imperative if retailers want to maximise their total addressable market,” adds Webb. “As brands ready themselves to seize sales opportunities during the Golden Quarter, the U.K.’s busiest online shopping period, creating an inclusive experience is vital.”

Golden Quarter remains one of the busiest, most profitable periods in the retail calendar, and evidence suggests a growing number of shoppers are moving online during this key period. Barclays reports that transactions on Black Friday 2024 increased 9.5% compared to 2023.

Notes to editors

In July 2025, Level Access performed automated accessibility testing on the homepages of the top 100 most popular retail brands in the U.K., according to YouGov.

Homepages were scanned for conformance with WCAG 2.1 AA using the Level Access Platform. WCAG 2.1 AA is the web accessibility standard incorporated into EN 301 549, the presumptive standard for EAA compliance.

Media contact

Caroline Fletcher
Fourth Day PR
caroline.fletcher@fourthday.co.uk