Home and garden websites are among the worst-performing sectors for digital accessibility, with new data revealing they have 17% more errors than the average website.

The latest WebAIM Million 2026 report found that these websites average 65.9 accessibility errors per page, significantly higher than the overall average of 56.1.

Overall, 95.9% of home pages across all sectors failed to meet basic accessibility standards (WCAG 2 A or AA).

The sector ranks among the poorest performers, driven by its reliance on visual content, inspiration-led design and layered navigation.

The most common barriers include low-contrast text (on 84% of home pages), missing alternative text for images (53%), unlabelled form inputs (51%), and empty links (46%) or buttons (31%).

WebAIM also found that homepage complexity is increasing, with pages now containing an average of 1,437 elements (such as images, buttons and links), a 22.5% increase in just one year. Almost 4% of all page elements contain an accessibility error.

Nexer Digital’s latest research into user behaviour also supports this. Its Hidden Journey study found that 79% of disabled users struggled to browse products, 81% found selecting items difficult or impossible, and 81% struggled to complete transactions, highlighting how accessibility barriers appear throughout the entire journey.

Hilary Stephenson, Managing Director of Nexer Digital, said: “Home and garden websites are designed to inspire, but for many users they can be difficult to navigate and understand.

“When images are not properly described or contrast is poor, people are left guessing. That uncertainty builds quickly and can lead people to abandon the experience.

“What’s often overlooked is that this isn’t just a usability issue, it’s a significant missed business opportunity. Brands that fail to cater for disabled shoppers, as well as their friends and families, risk losing a substantial and loyal customer base. Our research shows that people are unlikely to return after a poor experience, but when accessibility is done well, customers demonstrate strong loyalty to the brands that get it right.”

The report also highlights a sharp increase in imagery, with more than one in four images missing or having inadequate alternative text.

Hilary continued: “These are not complex problems to fix, but they are widespread. With legislation like the European Accessibility Act now in force, businesses need to ensure their digital experiences are inclusive from the outset.”