As retailers look to the work ahead in 2026, digital accessibility compliance may well be on their radar. The threat of legal or regulatory action for non-compliance with laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the now-enforceable European Accessibility Act (EAA) isn’t going away. But in retail, digital accessibility doesn’t just help organizations avoid compliance risk. It drives real impacts:

• 88% of retail professionals say accessibility gives them a competitive advantage.

• 97% say it improves customer satisfaction.

• 80% say it boosts acquisition.

• 94% say it increases revenue.

These stats from our seventh annual State of Digital Accessibility Report, make it clear that retailers have begun to understand accessibility as an important advantage. And this is no surprise, when thought about in practical terms:

• An e-commerce checkout flow with an inaccessible promo field leads to abandoned baskets.

• A loyalty app update that isn’t navigable to a customer using a screen reader leads to support center spikes.

• An inaccessible store locator means customers won’t hesitate to take their business to your competitor across the street.

Accessibility drives usability—it is at the core of the user experience. When incorporated strategically, it can spark design innovations that enhance the appeal of digital assets and maximize potential customer reach. That reach is fast becoming a crucial differentiator in crowded categories where product and price differentiation has become more difficult.

But despite retail professionals recognizing these advantages, not every organization has been able to consistently embed best practice to reap these benefits. More than two-thirds of the global retail professionals we surveyed reported their organizations were involved in legal or regulatory action related to digital accessibility complaints in the past year. In the age of omnichannel retail, where digital portfolios are scaling across e-commerce sites, mobile apps, loyalty platforms, digital kiosks, and in-store digital touchpoints, practical challenges and competing organizational priorities often leave retail leaders with insufficient time, resources, and crucially, processes to address accessibility issues.

Accessibility is no longer compliance work; it is a growth lever that expands markets and improves experiences for every customer.

The Promise of AI

In light of all this complexity, AI is emerging not just as an efficiency driver, but as an accelerator for digital accessibility in fast-moving digital environments. At Level Access, for example, we’ve embedded AI into our market-leading testing, remediation, and reporting capabilities to accelerate safe and reliable accessibility at scale. Our research shows budgets dedicated to digital accessibility are on the rise, and that many organizations are seeking AI-powered solutions as part of their strategy. Nearly every retail professional (96%) we surveyed said AI capabilities will be a key consideration when purchasing accessibility solutions this year.

AI is helping automate much of the manual, time-consuming work that previously slowed progress in digital accessibility efforts. Of course, when trained on an organization’s goals and data, it supports efficient auditing and faster remediation cycles. It’s also helping organizations to embed accessibility knowledge in daily processes, ensuring that standards are met consistently, and allowing for easier progress reporting.

However, especially when it comes to accessibility, AI cannot replace lived experience and human guidance. As our Chief Accessibility Officer Jonathan Avila has explained,

“While AI tools and automation are transforming accessibility, a balanced approach … is essential. Designers, developers, and content authors must continue to strive for accessibility from the outset, complemented by AI-driven aids and endpoint solutions that improve efficiency to ensure that all content is universally accessible.”

Investing in people and processes

So, while retailers looking to seize their competitive advantage should absolutely invest in AI-powered solutions, this should be done alongside an investment in people. Training and education are vital to help teams understand how to incorporate best practices and advanced tooling effectively within their roles.

According to our research, where accessibility training is “highly effective,” organizations are 2.5 times more likely to approach accessibility proactively. And from our 2024 survey, we know that retailers who approach accessibility proactively are 50% more likely to say it has contributed to “much improved” revenue.

In our experience working with the world’s leading retail and e-commerce brands, good education improves accessibility governance. It ensures conformance with established standards is being accurately monitored and progress is being made against the organization’s overarching accessibility goals. This ultimately means accessibility investment is sustained, maximizing an organization’s return on investment over time.

Boosting business outcomes: How to play your part

As retailers look to gain an advantage, this blend of AI efficiency with human oversight and upskilling will help retailers meet rising consumer expectations and head off legal risk. But accessibility champions cannot do this game-changing work alone. Our research shows that where executives are “highly supportive” of digital accessibility, respondents were almost seven times as likely to say that digital accessibility contributes to improved revenue for their organization.

When senior leaders champion accessibility, teams gain the clarity, resourcing, and cross-functional commitment needed to make progress stick. It signals that accessibility isn’t a legal or technical afterthought, but a strategic business priority.

For retail executives, this support can take several practical forms:

• Set clear expectations: Include accessibility in strategic plans, digital roadmaps, and KPIs across product, design, engineering, and store operations.

• Model accountability: Request regular visibility into accessibility performance, just as you would for conversion, NPS, or operational efficiency.

• Champion a culture of inclusion: Encourage teams to incorporate lived experience from people with disabilities, customer feedback, and user testing into everyday work.

• (If and how you can) Allocate sustainable resources: Fund the tools, training, and governance needed for continuous improvement—not one-off fixes.

When executive involvement is visible and consistent, retail brands stop playing compliance catch-up, and start driving outcomes. And while it may be tempting to believe that accessibility issues will “solve themselves” with the rise of AI, the reality is much more complex. The accessibility advantage for retail brands is only attainable when AI solutions are combined with an investment in training and strong governance, and accessibility programs are given the executive support they need. This approach will ensure accessibility compliance standards are maintained, and the good work being done by retailers to acquire and retain customers continues—no matter what the digital landscape has in store for us next.