New research from Evoluted reveals that almost all of the UK’s top-performing e-commerce websites are failing basic accessibility standards, highlighting widespread usability issues, growing legal risk and significant missed commercial opportunities for businesses serving digitally diverse audiences.
Almost all of the UK’s highest-performing websites are failing basic accessibility standards, according to new analysis by leading e-commerce agency, Evoluted.
A recent study analysing product pages across the UK’s top 100 e-commerce websites revealed significant accessibility shortcomings, with 98% failing to meet basic accessibility standards. Further investigation suggests the issue is even more widespread, with additional manual testing of the remaining 2% revealing they were not fully accessible either.
The findings highlight widespread issues in the way many websites are designed and developed, raising concerns about inclusivity and user experience across the sector. The analysis was carried out using a combination of automated accessibility testing tools, analysing sites at product page level and evaluating whether the identified high revenue-driving sites meet baseline standards for usability and compatibility with assistive technologies. Follow-up manual checks were conducted on a subset of results to validate findings and assess real-world usability beyond automated detection.
With accessibility now intrinsically linked to user experience, revenue performance and legal compliance, the findings indicate that most of the UK’s leading brands still have significant progress to make. Accessibility barriers can make websites difficult – or even impossible – to use for millions of people. According to Government Official Statistics, in the UK alone, nearly one in four working-age adults has a disability, meaning a significant proportion of users may struggle to navigate poorly designed sites.
Many disabilities can be invisible, or perhaps better described as non-apparent. For example, colour blindness, dyslexia, arthritis or ADHD – each of these conditions impacts how someone interacts with websites.
Commercial impact of accessibility for businesses
Beyond user experience, the commercial impact of accessibility is substantial. Previous research has shown that billions of pounds (est. £17.1 billion) are lost each year due to users abandoning inaccessible websites.
The same research found that most people with access needs (those using assistive technologies) frequently shopped online once or twice a month and close to a third made purchases online several times a week, spanning a wide variety of sectors including supermarkets, banking, entertainment and fashion.
Given how frequently these users engage with e-commerce, even small accessibility improvements can unlock significant commercial opportunity.
Accessibility non-compliance is punishable by law
Mounting regulatory pressure is forcing organisations to take digital accessibility seriously – and failure to act can carry significant legal consequences.
In the UK, multiple laws can be used to hold organisations accountable, including the Equality Act 2010, the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (Northern Ireland) and the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018 (Websites and Mobile Applications).
Enforcement is not just theoretical. In 2012, the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) acted against budget airline Bmibaby after a website update made it significantly harder for visually impaired customers to book flights. Using the Equality Act 2010, the RNIB secured changes from the airline to implement improvements, with the case ultimately settled out of court.
As of 28 June 2025, the European Accessibility Act is now in force – and UK businesses are firmly in scope. Any organisation selling products or delivering digital services into the EU must meet strict accessibility standards or face enforcement. Penalties, set at a national level, can be severe: most include significant financial fines, while some jurisdictions allow criminal sanctions, including prison sentences. Location offers no protection either – if you operate in the EU market, you are accountable.
The message is clear: accessibility is no longer optional – it is a legal requirement and a business imperative.
What the experts are saying
With over 25 years’ experience in coding and a passion for accessibility, Andy Carter, Evoluted’s Technical Team Lead and Accessibility Expert, said: “Accessibility is still too often treated as an afterthought, when in reality it should be built into the foundations of every website.
“I strongly believe accessibility should be seen as an exciting and important part of our work as developers.
“Those with accessibility needs are not a small minority in our society. Creating accessible websites, apps and content gives people greater independence, increases the number of potential customers e-commerce sites can reach and finally, is a legal requirement for ensuring equality and inclusion.
“What we frequently see is developers relying on generic code structures instead of using semantic HTML. For example, using non-functional elements in place of buttons or headings creates unnecessary barriers, particularly for users relying on assistive technologies like screen readers.
“From our analysis, poor colour contrast consistently emerged as the most common accessibility issue. This is a well-documented problem across the industry, but it’s also one of the most straightforward to fix – making it a clear opportunity for businesses to improve accessibility quickly.
“The good news is that many other accessibility issues are relatively simple fixes too. Using the correct HTML elements, maintaining clear heading structures and designing with all users in mind can significantly improve both usability and performance.”
