The EAA Wake-Up Call: What France’s Legal Action Means for Every EU Business

Written By Matthew Elefant

On July 8, 2025, four of France’s largest grocery retailers — Auchan, Carrefour, E. Leclerc, and Picard — received formal legal notices demanding they comply with digital accessibility standards under the European Accessibility Act (EAA). The message is clear: accessibility enforcement has officially begun.

For many businesses operating in the European Union, this is the first real consequence of a law that’s been quietly looming in the background for years. The grace period is over — and France just sounded the alarm for everyone.

What Happened in France?

Four major retailers were given until September 1, 2025, to make their online grocery services fully accessible to people with disabilities. The formal notices came from leading disability advocacy groups and legal teams citing non-compliance with France’s transposition of the EAA.

The complaints weren’t abstract:

  • Websites and apps couldn’t be used with screen readers.

  • Navigation was impossible without a mouse.

  • Click & collect options were inaccessible for blind users.

These issues amount to direct discrimination under EU law. If the retailers fail to comply, they could face lawsuits, reputational damage, and exclusion from public contracts.

This is not just a French issue. It’s a test case — and every business across the EU should pay attention.

Why This Matters: The EAA Is Now Enforceable

The European Accessibility Act (Directive 2019/882) sets out requirements for websites, mobile apps, e-commerce, ticketing systems, banking platforms, and more. It applies to any business offering services to consumers in the EU.

As of June 28, 2025, the EAA is legally enforceable across the EU.

This means:

  • Public complaints can trigger legal action.

  • Companies can be fined or sued for digital inaccessibility.

  • Businesses must proactively ensure compliance — waiting for a notice is already too late.

The legal action in France marks the first wave of what is likely to become systematic enforcement across member states.

Not Just a French Problem — It’s a European Business Risk

If your company operates in or serves customers in the EU, you're subject to the EAA. That includes:

  • Multinational retailers

  • E-commerce platforms

  • SaaS and digital service providers

  • Banks and insurance firms

  • Telecom providers

  • Transportation and ticketing systems

In short: if you sell online, you’re on the hook.

Many businesses — especially outside France — are still unaware of the EAA’s full scope. But this enforcement action makes one thing clear: lack of awareness is no longer an excuse.

The New Risk Profile for Digital Leaders

Legal risk is now tied directly to your digital user experience.
That means CCOs, CMOs, CTOs, and General Counsel must now ask:

  • Can a blind user shop, bank, or book travel on our site independently?

  • Are our web and mobile platforms fully keyboard-navigable?

  • Do we meet WCAG 2.1 or RGAA standards?

  • Do we have evidence of compliance efforts in case of a legal audit?

If the answer to any of those is “I’m not sure,” your brand is exposed.

What You Should Do Now

1. Run a full accessibility audit
Use automated tools (like axe-core), but follow up with manual testing, especially with assistive tech users.

2. Document your compliance efforts
Create a Digital Accessibility Statement, log improvements, and maintain evidence of action.

3. Partner with accessibility experts
Invest in a strategic accessibility program — not just a checkbox audit. This is about risk and opportunity.

4. Train your teams
Developers, designers, QA teams, and legal all need to understand their role in compliance.

5. Don’t wait for a letter
Auchan and Carrefour didn’t expect one either.

France Just Fired the First Shot. Are You Ready for What Comes Next?

The EAA is here, it’s enforceable, and your digital accessibility program is now a compliance issue — not just a brand value. The legal notices issued in France are the beginning, not the end.

If you're not sure where to start, start here: run your audit, map your risks, and build your plan. The best time to act was yesterday. The second best time is right now.

Need help navigating EAA compliance?
Inclusive Web partners with organizations to build scalable, actionable accessibility programs that meet both legal and user expectations. Let’s talk.

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We Are Inclusive Web

We work with our clients to simplify digital accessibility to ensure your web and digital applications are ADA compliant and accessible to all your users. If you’d like to talk about your digital accessibility, you can email us at matthew@inclusiveweb.co, leave us a note here, or schedule a call here to discuss. Let’s make the web inclusive to all!

Matthew Elefant
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Post-EAA: What Compliance Leaders Are Doing Next