Survey finds less than a quarter of European websites meet digital accessibility standards
An annual survey conducted by Applause, a provider of testing and digital quality services, has revealed that less than a quarter of European websites meet digital accessibility standards.
The recently completed Accessibility and Inclusive Design Survey of more than 1,300 respondents (805 in Europe), including software testers, product engineers, legal professionals, software developers, QA and UX professionals, examines how companies prioritize accessibility when developing their digital experiences and how respondents rate their knowledge level regarding accessibility.
Digital accessibility has been revealed as a top priority for a third of European organisations despite lack of developer knowledge and conformance to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 standards, according to the survey.
The WCAG 2.1 standards define how to make web content more accessible to people with disabilities.
Findings revealed less than a quarter of European websites meet WCAG 2.1 digital accessibility standards, and one third of European organisations have very basic knowledge of digital accessibility.
Additionally, only 15 per cent of European product engineers are found to always write code with accessibility in mind, while 40 per cent of European product developers do not build accessibility into their design plans.
Overall, the study revealed a disconnect between making accessibility a priority and achieving conformance to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 standards for making web and mobile content more accessible to people with disabilities.
Bob Farrell, Vice President of Solution Delivery and CX Practices for Applause said: “With the pending update to WCAG standards this summer, and the implementation of the EU Accessibility Act in June 2025, companies need to commit to advancing their focus on accessibility and inclusivity for their digital products and experiences.
“Making strides in accessibility often requires education and a cultural shift within organisations. If there is a disconnect between prioritizing accessibility, and actually taking the steps necessary to make it a reality, it’s difficult to make progress,”
In the survey, one third stated that accessibility is a ‘top priority’ for their organisations, although 14 per cent said accessibility is either not at all a priority or a low priority.
62 per cent of respondents said that digital accessibility is a higher priority for their organisations than the previous year, with nearly a 20 per cent increase.
Despite this, only 21 per cent claimed their website met WCAG 2.1 standards, two tenths stated that it didn’t, while another more than half said they didn’t know.
Additionally, when asked if there is a group or person responsible for making digital products accessible, 21 per cent said no, and 22 per cent said they don’t know.
One third stated that they have very basic knowledge of digital accessibility with less than one tenth saying they had none.
Of the engineers surveyed, 36 per cent said they rarely write code with accessibility in mind, 38 per cent said they sometimes do, but only 15 per cent said they always do.
On a more promising note, three fifths of the product developers surveyed said they build accessibility into their design plans at the earliest stages.
Bob continued: “The survey shows we haven’t really seen a huge amount of progress over the past three years, and there is even a growing trend for product developers to be less likely to build accessibility into their design plans.
“Digital accessibility requires an ongoing commitment to building inclusive experiences, designing products and writing code with accessibility in mind, and then testing digital properties for accessibility throughout the development process.”
Train operator, Greater Anglia, has recently upgraded its website to enable visitors to access online content and services more easily, in a way that best suits their needs.
