Why automated ALT texts matter now
Starting in June 2025, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) will make digital accessibility mandatory for many online services — including Shopify stores. One core requirement is the proper description of images using ALT texts.
For shops with large numbers of product images, writing these texts manually is hardly attainable. That’s where modern AI tools come in, offering automated ALT text generation that scales, meets legal standards and improves SEO.
What the EAA requires
The EAA obliges businesses to make their digital offerings accessible to all — regardless of physical or cognitive impairments. It’s based on international standards like the WCAG 2.0, which explicitly require text alternatives for non-text content such as images.
Without ALT texts, a website fails accessibility checks — and starting in June 2025, this may expose it to legal warnings. Missing descriptions can also negatively impact search engine optimization (Google SEO ALT attributes).
Automating ALT texts: a smart move for Shopify stores
E-commerce platforms like Shopify can benefit enormously from automating ALT texts. AI-powered tools analyze images and generate contextually relevant descriptions. This not only saves time but also improves consistency and quality across all product visuals.
Key benefits:
- Efficiency: Easily handle large image libraries with minimal effort.
- Consistency: AI tools follow predefined standards and avoid redundancy or contradictions.
- Legal Compliance: The texts are WCAG-based and support EAA implementation.
- SEO Optimization: ALT texts can include relevant keywords to boost search rankings.
How to get started in Shopify
Shopify lets you add an ALT text to every image manually — or via a dedicated Shopify plugin. For larger catalogs, automation is the smarter choice. Some tools also offer translation features, making ALT texts accessible for multilingual storefronts.
Best practices for using AI-generated ALT texts
While AI handles much of the work, clear guidelines are still essential:
- Descriptive, not generic: The image’s content should be described clearly, without phrases like “Image of...”.
- Context-aware: The ALT text must align with the product or page context.
- Quality control: Random checks and occasional edits ensure relevance and accuracy.
- Multilingual support: For international shops, translated ALT texts are part of making content accessible.
Conclusion: use AI and ALT texts to meet EAA requirements
To meet EAA accessibility standards, ALT texts are non-negotiable. For image-heavy Shopify stores, automated ALT text generation is a powerful solution: it saves time, improves visibility, and ensures legal compliance.
By combining AI-driven automation, targeted quality checks, and Shopify-ready tools, merchants can confidently prepare their online shops for 2025 and beyond.
