How to incorporate accessibility into your product roadmap from the start

There's a common assumption that "only" a small number of website visitors have a disability, or "we don't have any disabled customers," or "the disability market isn't big enough."

This is incorrect. You are at risk of missing out on the significant business and economic benefits of web accessibility.

This post aims to challenge all assumptions about the market size and demonstrate how it can reduce costs and benefit your business.

We've compiled statistics on the affected population, their demographics, and the economic impact on businesses to demonstrate the importance of web accessibility.

Key takeaways

Below are the key statistics and source information. For more context and the link to the sources, scroll down below.

• 95.9% of home pages had detected failures in meeting the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2) [WebAIM]
• 16% of the world's population has a disability, and 1.3 billion may need assistive technologies, such as screen readers or speech recognition software, to access websites [World Health Organization]
• People with disabilities and their families control an estimated $13 trillion in global spending power [Valuable 500]
• Inaccessible websites cost £17.1 billion in lost UK revenue [Click Away Pound]
• Large businesses could achieve a three-year profit of $77,033 by improving their web content accessibility [Siteimprove].
• Websites that are inaccessible lose $6.9 billion to competitors annually [Deque Systems]
• Lawsuit costs average around $100,000 per case [Siteimprove]

Table of Contents

1. Global disability statistics

The prevalence of disabilities worldwide is far greater than many realise, with profound implications for digital accessibility.

According to the World Health Organization (Opens in a new window) , an estimated 1.3 billion people, around 16% of the population, experience significant disability globally. This officially makes it the world's largest minority.

In the US, 28.7% of adults, about 1 in 4, live with a disability (Opens in a new window) . In England and Wales, 25.4% (6 million) of households have one disabled member and 6.6% (1.6 million) have two or more, according to the Office for National Statistics (Opens in a new window) .

The digital divide remains a pressing issue. While there are over 84 million disabled internet users in the US, only 26% have access to high-speed internet (Opens in a new window) . Additionally, 15% of disabled people report never going online, compared to just 5% of those without disabilities (Opens in a new window) . These figures represent missed opportunities for businesses and point to a critical need for more inclusive digital infrastructure.

The global web accessibility landscape presents challenges and opportunities. While local statistics are scarce due to limited census data in many countries, fewer than 20 nations outside the US have adopted the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 as their national standard for web accessibility (Opens in a new window) . Pioneers include Australia, Canada, France, Spain, Germany, India, Japan, and the UK.

This global disparity in accessibility standards presents an opportunity for businesses to differentiate themselves and tap into underserved markets by prioritising digital inclusivity.

2. Common types of disabilities

Understanding the prevalence and types of disabilities affecting web users is crucial for creating inclusive digital experiences.

A large global population is affected by visual and auditory impairments, highlighting the need for web accessibility. According to the World Health Organization (Opens in a new window) , over 2.2 billion people experience visual impairments, with over 27% potentially benefiting from screen readers. This underscores the size of the market relying on assistive technologies and the need for your websites to be screen reader friendly.

In the U.S., visual impairments significantly impact society. About 12% of Americans over 40 have moderate to severe vision impairment, affecting their ability to read and interact with websites and visual content.

Hearing loss and deafness affect over 5% of the world's population, which is over 430 million people, including 34 million children (Opens in a new window) . By 2050, projections indicate this figure will rise to one in ten individuals, emphasising the growing importance of accessible audio content online.

These numbers indicate a large, often underserved market that could benefit from improved web accessibility practices.

3. Global uses of assistive technologies

The need for assistive technologies, tools that help people with disabilities access information and interact with websites, is growing rapidly. The question is, are you ready for it? Is your website accessible for users of these technologies to navigate your site with ease?

Currently, nearly 1.3 billion people worldwide need assistive tools to access online content effectively. This number expands to over 2.5 billion (Opens in a new window) for those needing one or more assistive products in their daily lives. Looking ahead, the demand is set to increase dramatically.

By 2050, an estimated 3.5 billion people—almost 40% of the projected global population—will rely on assistive technology. This surge is driven by an aging population and the rise of noncommunicable diseases.

The impact is felt across all age groups, including the younger generation. In the US, 14% of public school students require some form of assistive technology for their academics (Opens in a new window) .

These figures once again underline a critical message for businesses: web accessibility isn't a niche concern. It's a necessity for reaching and engaging a growing segment of the global population and giving them access to resources like education.

4. Website compliance standards

The digital landscape is vast and expanding, with nearly 200 million active websites and 175 new sites created every minute (Opens in a new window) . Yet, despite this boom, a critical issue persists: web accessibility.

95.9% of home pages have detectable WCAG 2.0 (Opens in a new window) (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) failures, with an average of 50.8 accessibility errors per page, according to WebAIM's 2024 report on the accessibility of the top 1 million homepages (Opens in a new window) .

These aren't minor oversights; they're significant barriers for millions of users. Common issues include low-contrast text, missing descriptive text for images (known as "alt text"), empty links, and unlabelled form inputs - which can render a site unusable for disabled users. Some could be resolved easily, particularly low-contrast text and missing alt text. Ironically, in the same report, 22.1% of all images on home pages lack alt text, shutting out screen reader users from crucial visual content.

But wait, there's more.

A 2021 report from the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (Opens in a new window) revealed that 30% of popular federal websites failed automated accessibility tests on their homepages, and nearly half failed on at least one of their three most visited pages.

It's a shame that millions (like myself) can't access online content due to the lack of global website compliance standards.

5. Legal environment on non-conformance

The legal landscape around web accessibility is becoming challenging for businesses, especially in e-commerce. No one is exempt… not even Beyoncé (Opens in a new window) .

In 2022, a record 4,061 digital accessibility lawsuits were filed in the U.S., with 2,387 related to the Americans with Disabilities Act (Opens in a new window) . This surge represents thousands of frustrated users denied equal access to online services.

E-commerce companies account for 77% of these lawsuits. To put this in perspective, in 2022, one in five top U.S. online retailers faced legal action over accessibility issues. Even more alarming is the 36% year-over-year increase in lawsuits targeting businesses using accessibility overlays, highlighting that quick-fix solutions do not meet true compliance standards.

The financial implications are sobering. These lawsuits, with an average cost of $100,000 per case (Opens in a new window) , are not just a minor penalty—they are a significant blow to a company's bottom line and reputation.

Small and medium-sized businesses can face lawsuits, though they don't grab media attention like bigger brands.

So you have to ask yourself: is it worth the risk?

6. Economic implications of non-conformance

The economic implications of web accessibility are far-reaching and often underestimated. Let's analyse this in key areas:

6.1 Market size and potential:

• In the US, assistive-technology Internet users have a purchasing power exceeding $350 billion (Opens in a new window) .
• The global disabled community, along with their friends and family, has $13 trillion in annual disposable income (Opens in a new window) .
• In the UK, the "Purple Pound" (Opens in a new window) (spending power of disabled people and their families) is estimated at £249 billion, growing by 14% annually.

6.2 Missed opportunities:

• 70% of websites in key industries remain inaccessible to vision-impaired users.
• This inaccessibility results in businesses losing $6.9 billion in potential North American e-commerce revenues (Opens in a new window) .
• Less than 10% of businesses have a targeted plan to access the disability market.

6.3 Benefits of accessibility investment:

• Companies investing in accessibility are four times more likely to outperform their competitors in total shareholder returns (Opens in a new window) .
• Digital products that comply with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 standards are expected to achieve 50% higher market performance than non-compliant counterparts (Opens in a new window) .
• For every $1 invested in accessibility improvements, companies see an average return of $100.

6.4 Consumer attitudes and behaviour:

• 51% of consumers are willing to pay more to companies committed to digital accessibility.
• 41% of consumers are ready to pay up to 10% extra for accessible products and services (Opens in a new window) .

6.5 Tangible Business Impact:

• Large businesses could see a three-year profit increase of $77,033 by making their web content more accessible for those with hearing or visual impairments (Opens in a new window) .
• Companies lose $6.9 billion to competitors annually due to inaccessible websites.

Ok, ok, enough economic advantages. But you can see the numerous advantages.

A common concern among business owners I speak to relates to market opportunity, return on investments, and the economic value of this.

This section shows that according to the researches listed above, the business opportunity is huge.

7. User Experience: the human cost of inaccessibility

Nobody will accept bad user experience. For assistive technology users, this is considered normal. Why is that acceptable?

Imagine shopping online, only to find that 70% of e-commerce, news, and government websites have closed the door on you. This is the frustrating reality for many vision-impaired users, according to Nucleus Research (Opens in a new window) .

The impact on businesses is stark. A 2019 study (Opens in a new window) revealed that 70% of disabled online shoppers abandon their carts, not due to changing their minds, but because they couldn't navigate the site. This costs UK businesses £17.1 billion in lost revenue annually.

It's not just about lost sales—it's about lost connections too. A global Kantar study (Opens in a new window) found that 88% of people feel underrepresented by brands, while 59% seek out companies that champion diversity and inclusion.

According to a Fable study (Opens in a new window) , this sentiment is stronger among those with disabilities:

• 56% cite accessibility as the primary factor in choosing online shops.
• 22% of general consumers make weekly online purchases. This jumps to 56% among disabled shoppers.
• Over a third of disabled users report having to choose more accessible—and often more expensive—alternatives. This highlights a gap in the market for inclusive design.

Perhaps most compelling is that 45% of respondents consider digital accessibility more crucial than product availability (Opens in a new window) .

These statistics once again demonstrate a shift in consumer priorities. People aren't just buying products; they're investing in experiences that respect and include them.