Accessibility Reinforcement Act (BFSG)

From mid-2025, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) will apply EU-wide regulations to ensure that online services are accessible to everyone - including people with disabilities.

In Germany, the EAA is implemented by Germany’s Accessibility Reinforcement Act (BFSG) (the "Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz"), which regulates the requirements for accessible websites and digital services.

We can give you a general overview with this information, but it is no substitute for legal advice. For specific questions or individual concerns, we recommend that you consult a qualified lawyer or legal advisor to ensure legal certainty.

The implementation should be seen less as a constraint and more as a positive development towards a more inclusive digital world, especially as people with disabilities are particularly relevant online shoppers. However, people without disabilities also benefit from these optimisations, as user-friendliness increases overall.

There is still enough time for companies to plan and implement the necessary steps. Investments in accessibility pay off in the long term, as they not only fulfil legal requirements, but also contribute to the sustainability and reputation of the company.

Shopware for more accessibility

Shopware does not yet fulfil all the requirements of WCAG 2.1 AA, but is already working at full speed on the necessary adjustments to the storefront and has already implemented some improvements. The aim is to be fully prepared before the legally prescribed deadline of the Accessibility Improvement Act.

You can find more information, guidelines and useful links in the Shopware article:

Online stores must be accessible by 2025 – Here’s what you need to know

Accessibility and ThemeWare®

The Shopware 6 storefront is based on the Shopware Core or the Shopware default theme. If you also use ThemeWare®, which is optimised from the ground up for sales promotion, you will benefit from all the innovations and improvements in various areas of digital online shopping, including accessibility, with our regular updates. Of course, we are already working on checking ThemeWare® features in this respect and optimising them further if necessary.

Use the remaining time to check how far you are affected by the implementation and find out more about the topic of "accessibility". A good understanding of these requirements will help you to set realistic goals and plan the implementation.

We wish you much success in optimising your online shop.