Less than a year after the European Accessibility Act (EAA) became enforceable across the European Union, one of Europe's largest retailers has been ordered by a French court to make its digital services accessible.
On 4 June 2026, the Tribunal judiciaire de Caen ruled that Carrefour France must bring both its e-commerce website and mobile application into compliance with French accessibility law within six months. If the retailer fails to meet the deadline, it faces a €500 daily penalty until the accessibility issues are resolved.
This is one of the first major court decisions enforcing national legislation implementing the European Accessibility Act and signals that digital accessibility requirements are now being actively enforced.
What happened?
The case was brought by the French disability organizations apiDV and Droit Pluriel, who argued that Carrefour's website and mobile application contained accessibility barriers preventing blind and visually impaired users from independently accessing essential online shopping services.
The court agreed.
In its decision, the court found that Carrefour's digital services did not comply with Article L.412-13 of the French Consumer Code, which establishes accessibility requirements for certain digital services in France as part of the country's implementation of the European Accessibility Act.
Carrefour has been given six months to remediate its website and mobile application. Failure to do so will result in a €500 per day financial penalty until compliance is achieved.
European Accessibility Act enforcement has begun
For many businesses, the European Accessibility Act has largely been viewed as a future compliance project. This ruling shows that the focus has shifted from preparation to enforcement.
The EAA became applicable on 28 June 2025, requiring businesses offering certain digital products and services in the European Union to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities. While enforcement is handled by each Member State through national legislation, the Carrefour judgment demonstrates how courts can require organizations to fix inaccessible digital services when legal obligations are not met.
Rather than accepting ongoing accessibility improvements as sufficient, the court concluded that users must actually be able to use the service.
Accessibility is an obligation of result
One of the most important aspects of the judgment is the court's reasoning.
Carrefour argued that significant work had already been completed to improve accessibility. However, the court rejected this defence, stating that accessibility cannot be measured solely by progress reports or partial compliance.
Instead, the judgment makes clear that an online service cannot be only partially accessible if users with disabilities remain unable to complete essential tasks. In practice, accessibility is treated as an obligation of result, meaning the service must actually be usable.
This interpretation is likely to influence future accessibility enforcement across Europe as regulators and courts begin applying legislation implementing the European Accessibility Act.
What this means for website accessibility compliance
Although the ruling is based on French legislation, its implications extend far beyond France.
Organizations covered by the European Accessibility Act should view this case as an indication that accessibility requirements are no longer theoretical. Businesses may now face legal action if inaccessible websites, mobile applications or digital services prevent people with disabilities from accessing products or completing transactions.
For most organizations, demonstrating compliance means meeting the requirements of EN 301 549, the European accessibility standard that references the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA for websites and mobile application
That means organizations should:
- Perform regular website accessibility audits.
- Use automated accessibility scanners to identify common issues.
- Conduct manual WCAG testing to detect barriers automation cannot find.
- Continuously monitor accessibility as websites and applications evolve.
- Fix accessibility issues before they become legal risks.
Accessibility is no longer something organizations can postpone until after launch. It should become part of the entire development lifecycle.
Why this case matters
The Carrefour judgment is significant because it demonstrates that accessibility laws are now producing real legal consequences.
Rather than simply issuing recommendations or warning businesses to improve, the French court imposed:
- A legally binding remediation deadline.
- Daily financial penalties for non-compliance.
- A clear expectation that digital services must be fully accessible.
As more Member States begin enforcing legislation implementing the European Accessibility Act, similar cases are likely to emerge across Europe.
For businesses that have delayed accessibility work, this ruling serves as a reminder that compliance is no longer only about avoiding future regulation, it is about reducing legal risk today.
How GetWCAG can help you prepare for EAA enforcement
The Carrefour ruling is a reminder that accessibility should be treated as an ongoing process rather than a one-time project.
Whether you're preparing for the European Accessibility Act, improving WCAG compliance, or reducing legal risk, regularly testing your website is one of the most effective ways to identify accessibility issues before they become a problem.
GetWCAG helps organizations monitor website accessibility through automated scanning based on WCAG 2.1 Level AA and EN 301 549. The scanner detects common accessibility issues, prioritizes them by severity, and provides clear guidance to help development teams resolve them faster.
While no automated tool can identify every accessibility issue, regular scanning combined with manual testing gives organizations a solid foundation for maintaining compliance and improving the user experience for everyone.
If you're unsure where your website stands, you can scan your website for free and receive an instant accessibility report highlighting issues that may affect users with disabilities and your EAA compliance efforts.
Try the free Website Accessibility Scanner: https://getwcag.com
Source:
- Cour de cassation (France) – Tribunal judiciaire de Caen, 4 June 2026, RG n°25/00691: https://www.courdecassation.fr/decision/6a21de72cdc6046d472e5ac7
- Tribunal judiciaire de Caen – apiDV & Droit Pluriel v. Carrefour France (official judgment, RG n°25/00691)
- French Consumer Code, Article L.412-13 (French implementation of the European Accessibility Act).