AccessProof · Shopify

EU Accessibility Act (WCAG) for Shopify sellers: do the rules apply to you?

Since 28 June 2025, EU-facing e-commerce must meet WCAG 2.1 AA and publish an accessibility statement.

Since Jun 2025 EU rules Shopify

How EU Accessibility Act (WCAG) works on Shopify

Shopify gives you the storefront and checkout, but legal compliance is on you, the merchant — Shopify's own terms make that explicit. The platform ships some tools (a cookie-banner and customer-privacy API, a hosted PCI-compliant checkout), but switching them on and configuring them correctly is your job, not Shopify's.

📦 On Shopify: Selling into the EU from a Shopify store triggers EU rules no matter where you're based — the test is your customer's location, not yours. What Shopify handles: Shopify themes vary widely on accessibility; a theme being in the store doesn't mean your storefront meets WCAG.

Does this apply to you?

This rule applies to Shopify sellers who run an online shop that serves customers in the EU. Sell online to EU customers? Since June 2025 your site must be accessible (WCAG 2.1 AA). Not sure? The free checker tells you in about a minute — no signup.

The Shopify checklist

Whatever the platform handles, you still need to be able to answer "yes" to each of these — these are the points Shopify sellers most often get caught on:

Do meaningful images have descriptive alt text?
Fully usable by keyboard, with a visible focus ring?
Text meets 4.5:1 colour contrast?
Forms have real labels + clear errors?
Videos captioned / audio transcribed?
Proper headings + works at 200% zoom?
Tested checkout with a screen reader / keyboard?

What's at stake

⚠️ Exposure: market withdrawal + member-state fines · Status: Since Jun 2025. On Shopify, that's on top of any account suspension for breaking platform policy.

Compare the penalty for every rule →

Common questions

Do I have to handle eU Accessibility Act (WCAG) myself on Shopify, or does Shopify cover it?

Shopify themes vary widely on accessibility; a theme being in the store doesn't mean your storefront meets WCAG.

Who must comply with the European Accessibility Act?

Most businesses selling products or services online to EU consumers, since 28 June 2025. Some exemptions apply to microenterprises providing services.

What standard does the EAA require?

In practice, WCAG 2.1 level AA — covering alt text, keyboard access, colour contrast, labeled forms, captions, and proper structure.

Do I need an accessibility statement?

Yes — publish a statement describing your level of conformance and how users can report accessibility barriers.

The source

RuleGoose checks this against the European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882) / WCAG 2.1 AA. Read it yourself: EUR-Lex — Directive (EU) 2019/882 →

Check your Shopify store against EU Accessibility Act (WCAG) — free.
Answer a few questions, see exactly where you're exposed, and draft the fix. No signup, runs in your browser. Run the AccessProof checker →

or get one RuleGoose Score across every rule your Shopify store has to meet.

The full Shopify picture

EU Accessibility Act (WCAG) is one of several rules a Shopify store has to meet. See the full Shopify compliance checklist →, or read the platform-neutral EU Accessibility Act (WCAG) guide.

Same rule, other platforms

EU Accessibility Act (WCAG) on Etsy → EU Accessibility Act (WCAG) on Amazon → EU Accessibility Act (WCAG) on WooCommerce →

Informational only, not legal advice, and not affiliated with the EU or Shopify. Last reviewed 2026-06-30.