ADA Website Accessibility Lawsuit: Grocery Store Chain

Plaintiff NELSON FERNANDEZ has filed an ADA Title III lawsuit against a national grocery store chain in the United States District Court, Southern District of Florida, on October 11, 2022. The plaintiff, who is visually and physically disabled, alleges that the e-commerce website of the defendant contains significant accessibility barriers that prevent full and equal access.

The complaint specifically details several WCAG violations, including an inaccessible shopping cart, product filters, pictures, prices, and information inaccessible via keyboard navigation. Additionally, product prices are mislabeled and read without proper descriptions for screen readers, and common abbreviations are read as individual letters rather than their intended words. The plaintiff also claims the defendant's accessibility statement itself was inaccessible, preventing disabled users from obtaining assistance.

This case highlights the legal imperative for businesses, especially those with physical public accommodations, to ensure their online platforms are fully accessible under ADA Title III. Failure to address such digital barriers, particularly for screen reader users and keyboard navigation, exposes companies to litigation risk and denies disabled individuals equal access to goods, services, privileges, and advantages offered through their websites.