Web accessibility: More reach and better user experience.

On June 28, 2025, the Accessibility Strengthening Act (BFSG) comes into force in Germany — a legal measure that obliges companies to make websites and web shops barrier-free. The aim of this Act is to provide people with various disabilities, such as visual disabilities, deafness or motor disabilities, with unrestricted access to digital content.

Who is affected:

The new law generally affects companies in the B2C sector, i.e. providers of services that are aimed directly at end customers — such as doctors, hairdressers or even online shops that offer online appointment bookings or contact forms.

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However, there are also exceptions: private websites and purely commercial (B2B) offers are not affected. Even small companies that have fewer than 10 employees and achieve an annual turnover of less than 2 million euros do not need to implement accessibility.

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If accessibility is not met, a market surveillance authority can take action: First, a request is issued to remove the barriers. If this is not followed, the authority may order the cessation of electronic commerce. In addition, fines of several thousand euros are also possible.

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amce studios checklist: This must be considered for a website:

In order for a website to be accessible to everyone, a few elements should be optimized:
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• ‍Pictures and graphics:
  All images and graphics should be provided with alt texts to provide access to people with visual disabilities.‍
• Videos and audio files:
  By integrating subtitles, audio descriptions and, where appropriate, sign language videos, it is possible to make it easier for deaf and hard of hearing people to access websites.‍
• Texts and structure:
  Simple language and a clear structure of the headlines promote understanding and make navigation easier.
• Contrasts and readability:
  Sufficient color contrasts improve readability and contribute to better visibility of content, especially for people with visual disabilities.‍
• Keyboard operation:
  A website that can be operated entirely with a keyboard makes it easier for users with motor disabilities to access it.‍
• Multi-sensory information transfer:
  Information should be provided not only visually but also auditively in order to optimize the usability of the website.

Benefits of an accessible website:‍

The benefits of a barrier-free website go beyond legal requirements: It improves usability for people with disabilities and optimizes the user experience for all users.

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Accessibility for people with disabilities reaches a larger audience, including potential customers who have difficulties with non-accessible websites.

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Accessible websites are more user-friendly and clearer overall, which benefits everyone.

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“Design plays a central role in accessibility. It is about creating a user-friendly structure that is visually accessible and easy to navigate, regardless of the individual needs of users. WCAG 2.1 provides clear guidelines on how these requirements can be effectively implemented. ”