One year after the European Accessibility Act (EAA) came into force, new research suggests disabled customers across Europe are still being routinely excluded from everyday services, including travel, due to persistent digital accessibility barriers.
The study by Nexer Digital has been published ahead of the first anniversary of the legislation on June 28, and warns that inaccessible online customer journeys are continuing to cost businesses revenue, loyalty and trust, as users abandon purchases, switch providers and fail to return.
Based on UK consumer research, interviews and accessibility audits, the report found that 87% of disabled consumers are unable to complete a typical retail journey independently, highlighting the scale of ongoing digital exclusion. It also identified widespread issues including inaccessible content (62%), confusing navigation and pop-ups (55%), and difficulties progressing through browsing stages (79%).
At checkout, barriers become even more acute, with 81% of respondents reporting difficulty completing transactions, often due to inaccessible verification tools or CAPTCHA systems. Even after purchase, 10% said they were unable to access customer support.
The study found that only 13% of disabled customers can complete an entire online journey independently, while most rely on workarounds or external help. Nearly half (45%) said they ask someone they know for assistance during browsing, and 38% abandon purchases at checkout.
Despite the scale of the issue, reporting remains low, with just 9% contacting customer support and 4% formally reporting accessibility problems, meaning many barriers remain largely invisible to businesses.
The impact extends beyond convenience, with respondents reporting strong emotional effects: 88% felt frustrated, 69% felt excluded, 54% angry and 37% anxious when encountering inaccessible experiences. The report also highlights issues around privacy and dignity when users are forced to seek help from others.
The EAA, which became applicable across the EU on June 28 2025, was intended to improve access to key products and services for disabled people. However, the research indicates that many online barriers remain widespread despite increasing regulatory and commercial pressure on organisations to improve accessibility.
Nexer Digital Managing Director Hilary Stephenson said many barriers were not new, but reflected a lack of prioritisation rather than a lack of solutions. She warned that when accessibility is overlooked, customers “do not complain, they leave.”
The research also highlights long-term commercial consequences, with 87% of participants saying they avoid or would avoid brands after poor accessibility experiences, while 74% would actively discourage others. By contrast, 98% said they are more likely to repurchase from accessible brands, and 81% would recommend them.
In the travel sector specifically, more than half (56%) of respondents reported dissatisfaction with their journeys, with inaccessible booking tools and post-booking processes contributing to abandonment or reliance on assistance.
Accessibility advocate Mike Adams of Purple Tuesday said the findings reflect the “everyday reality” for disabled people and underline the commercial opportunity of improving inclusion across digital and physical services.
The report concludes that businesses should move beyond minimum compliance and treat accessibility as a core part of customer experience design, arguing that doing so could unlock growth while improving independence and inclusion for disabled customers.
