French Retailers - European Accessibility Act Pre-Enforcement Actions

First major European Accessibility Act enforcement actions by advocacy groups immediately after June 28, 2025 effective date, targeting major French supermarket chains.

Ongoing

Case Information

Plaintiff

ApiDV & Droit Pluriel (advocacy groups)

Defendant

Auchan, Carrefour, E. Leclerc, Picard Surgelés

Date Filed

July 7, 2025

Jurisdiction

France (under European Accessibility Act)

WCAG Level

Level AA

Case Details

Just days after the European Accessibility Act (EAA) effective date of June 28, 2025, French disability advocacy groups ApiDV and Droit Pluriel issued formal enforcement notices to four major French retailers for inaccessible online shopping platforms. Affected retailers: - Auchan (major supermarket chain) - Carrefour (France's largest retailer) - E. Leclerc (supermarket network) - Picard Surgelés (frozen food retailer) Accessibility issues: - Online grocery ordering systems not fully accessible - Screen reader incompatibility - Missing alt text for product images - Non-functional keyboard navigation - Checkout process barriers Legal framework: - European Accessibility Act (EAA) enforcement effective June 28, 2025 - Requires WCAG 2.1 AA compliance for digital services - Applies to organizations with annual turnover >€2 million Enforcement timeline: - Formal notices issued July 7, 2025 - Retailers given until September 1, 2025 to achieve compliance - Legal action threatened if compliance not achieved by deadline - Potential penalties up to €250,000 per violation under French law Significance: - First coordinated EAA enforcement actions by advocacy groups - Demonstrates immediate enforcement will follow effective date - Targets high-visibility retailers to maximize compliance impact - Sets precedent for aggressive enforcement approach

Accessibility Issues Identified

Inaccessible online shopping platforms
Screen reader incompatibility
Missing product image alt text
Keyboard navigation failures
Checkout process barriers

Key Takeaways

EAA enforcement began immediately upon effective date
Advocacy groups actively enforcing against major corporations
Major retailers remain vulnerable to accessibility litigation
E-commerce requires comprehensive WCAG 2.1 AA compliance
French penalties among Europe's highest (up to €250,000)
No grace period or transition time after EAA effective date

Impact

These cases demonstrate that EAA enforcement is not theoretical. European retailers face immediate compliance pressure and substantial penalties. This will likely accelerate accessibility implementation across EU e-commerce sector.

Official References & Court Documents

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Case Details

Key Takeaways

EAA enforcement began immediately upon effective date
Advocacy groups actively enforcing against major corporations
Major retailers remain vulnerable to accessibility litigation
E-commerce requires comprehensive WCAG 2.1 AA compliance
French penalties among Europe's highest (up to €250,000)
No grace period or transition time after EAA effective date