Cost of Inaccessibility: Companies Lose $13 Trillion a Year

In an era dominated by digitalization and inclusivity, inaccessibility is not just an ethical issue, but a genuine strategic mistake for businesses. Ignoring the needs of people with disabilities means excluding a vast market segment, with significant economic repercussions. According to data published in the Global Economics of Disability Annual Report, published by The Valuable 500 for the World Economic Forum in 2024 , the global purchasing power of people with disabilities and their family networks exceeds $13 trillion annually globally.

But how much does this negligence really cost companies? Using data updated to 2025, I want to explore the hidden costs and try to offer a true reflection of the cost to businesses of failing to comply with corporate social responsibility.

To do this, I will limit myself to objective damages, leaving aside indirect reputational costs.

SECTION 1 – The Legal Costs of Inaccessibility: The US Case

In addition to lost revenue, inaccessibility can lead to significant legal costs; let's explore them together.

In the United States, 2,452 lawsuits were filed in 2024 for violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) related to inaccessible websites, with penalties reaching tens of thousands of dollars per violation, plus legal fees.

In the UK, the 2016 " Click-Away Pound " survey found that over 4 million people with disabilities had abandoned various e-commerce sites due to accessibility barriers, representing a loss of approximately £11.75 billion (approximately $15.38 billion) for the affected stores, equivalent to 10% of the UK's total annual e-commerce spend.

In Europe, the entry into force of the European Accessibility Act ( EAA ) on June 28, 2025, will make digital accessibility mandatory for all companies, with potential fines for those who fail to comply.

SECTION 2 – Concrete examples of companies abroad that have paid a heavy price for inaccessibility.

Many companies abroad have suffered direct financial losses due to legal action brought against them due to inaccessibility.

Below are some of the most emblematic cases coming directly from the United States for violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the law that requires companies to make their products accessible.

• Target Corporation . In 2006, the National Federation of the Blind filed a lawsuit against Target over its inaccessible website. In 2008, the company agreed to a $6 million settlement , as well as a commitment to make the site accessible, with additional costs for compliance.

• Domino's Pizza . In 2016, Guillermo Robles , a blind man, sued Domino's for the inaccessibility of its website and mobile app. The Supreme Court upheld the lawsuit against Domino's Pizza in 2019. The company subsequently reached a confidential settlement and incurred additional legal costs estimated at hundreds of thousands of dollars, as well as investments to adapt its digital platforms.

• Winn-Dixie . In 2017, the supermarket chain was sued for violating the ADA due to the inaccessibility of its website. Subsequently, the Court of Appeals declared the matter of the dispute discontinued and therefore the appeal was dismissed because the company had ceased to be interested in the case, having in the meantime adapted its website .

• In the United States, the latest company to be sued in 2021 for violating the ADA was the Golden State Warriors , accused of failing to make the Warriors' website ( an online store ) fully accessible to blind and visually impaired customers. The plaintiff, Kyo Hak Chu , is seeking $5 million in damages .

• Beyoncé . Even the website www.beyonce.com, owned by the famous singer's Parkwood Entertainment company , has been sued for inaccessibility by a blind New Yorker named Mary Conner. Official documents state that the plaintiff has withdrawn the lawsuit, with prejudice and without costs, a sign of a likely court settlement.

• Greyhound and FlexiBus . The Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice announced on August 4, 2025, in a statement that it has opened an investigation into suspected violations of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities and requires reasonable accommodations.

In this case, the ones discriminated against were passengers with disabilities, who highlighted poorly maintained ramps, limited seats available for wheelchair users (only two per bus), and problems with online booking for those with visual or cognitive disabilities.

These examples illustrate how lawsuits involve not only direct payments, but also attorneys' fees, eliminating the discriminatory factor that causes inaccessibility, and reputational damage, with overall losses that can reach millions of dollars in some cases.

Numbers that speak:

• $13 trillion global purchasing power of people with disabilities

• 4,000+ ADA lawsuits in 2024 (US only)

• ROI 100:1 investments in accessibility

Practical tip: Start with a basic audit (€300-€500) before it becomes mandatory.

Quote: “ Inclusive companies outperform others ” – Accenture , 2023.

SECTION 3 – And in Italy? The regulatory landscape and the first cases

To answer this question, we need to take a brief look at the legislation.

In Italy, Law No. 67 of 2006 is relevant, as it also penalizes physical inaccessibility when it leads to discriminatory behavior.

Law 67/2006, entitled " Measures for the judicial protection of disabled people who are victims of discrimination ," allows individuals with disabilities or trade associations to take action against private individuals, not just public bodies, and provides, in addition to injunctive relief consisting of obtaining the cessation of discriminatory behavior, also compensatory protection, providing for the recognition of pecuniary and non-pecuniary damages.

The application of this law has had important results in our country.

The legislation in question can in fact be applied in various situations: such as the inaccessibility of public places or premises open to the public, or of public transport, such as buses, trains, and taxis.

A case of indirect discrimination against a person with a severe disability, which was decided by the Court of Reggio Emilia , was a prime example. Mr. EF , a severely disabled person, went to a multiplex cinema and was forced to sit in the front row, just four meters from the giant screen, despite the theater being half-empty, because the only seats accessible to disabled people were located in that position.

In cases like this, penalties may include a requirement to modify the premises and compensation for financial and moral damages. In the order of October 7, 2011, the company was ordered to modify the premises for €33,350.00.

However, if we examine the applicability of Law No. 67/2006 in our legal system regarding access to digital services, we note that explicit convictions against private companies for inaccessible websites are still rare. In fact, for digital inaccessibility to constitute indirect discrimination, under the law, the website must restrict access to essential content or services.

With the entry into force of the European Accessibility Act in 2025, all this is about to change: many companies will in fact be obliged to make their websites and applications accessible, as is done in the United States.

Penalties for failure to comply with European regulations vary depending on the severity of the violation and the size of the company: fines can range from a minimum of €5,000 to €60,000.

CONCLUSION:

Reflecting on accessibility, I can only emphasize how foolish it is for a company to neglect this aspect, both from an ethical and economic standpoint.

In addition to the fines already mentioned, which in Europe can reach – in extreme and repeated cases – even more than €100,000, indirect costs must also be considered, which can be much more burdensome.

Furthermore, a negative ruling can lead to additional recurring costs, such as daily penalties (up to €500/day of non-compliance in some EU countries, such as Cyprus) and costs for remedial communication campaigns that can easily exceed €20,000.

Considering the reputational damage, the risk of losing up to 10% of annual revenue for large companies is not unrealistic; furthermore, according to an Accenture study , The Disability Inclusion Imperative 2023 , companies that lead in inclusivity (specifically for people with disabilities) outperform others financially and operationally.

This is why investing in accessibility is not just a civilized choice, but a solid business strategy.

According to a 2022 report by Forrester Research , it is estimated that every € invested in accessibility produces an ROI of €100.

Ultimately, prevention today, spending relatively modest sums, means avoiding a spiral of costs, fines, and reputational damage that can truly bring even the most structured company to its knees.

---

Support ForAllWe

ForAllWe is an independent project on digital accessibility and inclusive technology. If you find our content useful, you can support us with a voluntary contribution. Your support helps us remain independent and involve people with disabilities as authors and testers.