Most online retailers in the Netherlands fail to meet basic accessibility standards for people with disabilities, according to findings by the Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM). The regulator tested roughly 100 major webshops and sites run by telecom and energy companies. As of June 2025, businesses are legally obliged to ensure their online services are accessible to users with disabilities.

Working alongside users with disabilities, the ACM tested whether webshops allowed them to complete purchases. In 61 percent of cases, ordering was entirely impossible, with assistive tools failing to function. Visually impaired users faced the greatest barriers: order buttons could not be accessed via keyboard navigation, and CAPTCHA verification tests were not accessible.

About one-third of webshops faced “serious issues.” While placing an order was technically possible, it demanded much more effort from users with disabilities, who still lacked the same functionality and ease of use as other customers.

Last year’s accessibility directive, based on European law, applies to all online businesses and communication services with at least ten employees or an annual turnover above 2 million euros. The ACM has notified the companies tested of their deficiencies and is working with them on the improvements needed to ensure compliance and steer them “in the right direction.”

A spokesperson for the market regulator said companies that do not follow the accessibility rules could be fined or issued an enforcement order, but they are allowed “considerable time” to bring their websites into compliance.

Accessibility regulations cover both physical and cognitive disabilities. “The target group is large and diverse,” an ACM spokesperson explained. “Each person has different needs, for instance, someone with Parkinson’s may struggle to use a mouse, while clear and simple language is crucial for people with cognitive impairments.”

The ACM notes that both understanding of and commitment to digital accessibility differ widely across the webshops examined. Companies have struggled to make improvements, citing “limited time, funding, and technical expertise, as well as unclear obligations.”