Shopify EN 301 549 Checker

EN 301 549 for Shopify Sites

EN 301 549 is the European standard for accessible information and communication technology. For websites, its clause 9 reuses WCAG: version 3.2.1 uses WCAG 2.1 Level AA, and version 4.1.1, published in September 2026 for the European Accessibility Act, uses WCAG 2.2 Level AA.

The European Accessibility Act has applied to e-commerce and other consumer services since June 28, 2025, wherever the business is based. This checker runs the scan with the EN 301 549 preset, which tests the WCAG 2.1 AA web requirements. Run the Shopify WCAG 2.2 checker as well to cover version 4.1.1.

A Shopify store selling to EU consumers is an e-commerce service under the European Accessibility Act. Scan product, cart and checkout pages, check every language version, and publish accessibility information about the service.

Who Should Run the Shopify EN 301 549 Checker

• Shopify businesses that sell products or services to consumers in the EU.
• Public sector bodies in the EU running a site on Shopify.
• Vendors selling software or services to EU public bodies.
• Non-EU companies with EU customers, since the EAA follows the customer.

EN 301 549 Requirements to Check on Shopify

• 1.4.10 Reflow

  Pages must reflow on a narrow screen without scrolling in two directions.

• 1.4.11 Non-text Contrast

  Controls, icons and focus indicators need 3:1 contrast.

• 3.1.1 Language of Page

  Each page must declare its language, which matters on multilingual EU sites.

• 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions

  Form fields, including checkout and consent forms, need visible labels or instructions.

• 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value

  Custom controls such as cookie consent switches need a name, role and state.

• 4.1.3 Status Messages

  Status messages, such as cart updates and form errors, must be announced.

Where Shopify Sites Usually Fail EN 301 549

These problems come up again and again on Shopify sites, and each one fails EN 301 549. The Shopify accessibility checker explains how to fix them in Shopify.

• Missing or generic product alt text. Alt text failures are consistently the single most common issue on e-commerce sites; a store with 500 products and 4 images each has 2,000 separate places it can go wrong.
• Keyboard traps in cart and checkout. Customers who cannot use a mouse are frequently unable to complete a purchase because the cart drawer or checkout flow does not support keyboard navigation.
• Broken heading structure on collection pages. Product collection and category pages often skip heading levels or use styled text instead of real headings, confusing screen reader navigation.
• Unaudited third-party apps. Reviews, upsell, chat and marketing apps inject their own HTML and JavaScript that can silently break keyboard access or screen reader labeling on every page they run on.
• Mobile menu apps. Apps that replace Shopify’s default navigation with a custom mobile menu often lose the keyboard and screen reader support the original theme had.

Worried about ADA claims as well? The Shopify ADA compliance checker covers the Shopify risks behind most complaints.

What to Test by Hand on Shopify

Automated testing finds many, but not all, EN 301 549 failures. Check these yourself after the scan:

1. Check every language version, including the page language setting (3.1.1).
2. Test the cookie consent banner with a keyboard and screen reader.
3. Publish accessibility information for your service, as the EAA requires.
4. Rescan after each fix. Continuous monitoring rescans up to 500 URLs per domain daily and keeps a dated record in the Compliance Vault.

Start 3-day free trial

Related Guides

• EN 301 549 CheckerThe EN 301 549 standard in full, for any website.
• ADA Website Compliance: What Businesses Need to KnowHow the ADA applies to websites, which WCAG level courts and regulators reference, the Title II rule for public entities, and practical steps to reduce risk.
• WCAG Success Criteria LibraryLook up any criterion the scan flags, in plain language.

Shopify EN 301 549 Checker: Frequently Asked Questions