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Award 2027New category

Retail Accessibility Award

Accessible shopping in the city centre, the shopping centre and the airport.
Presented at the Zukunftstage Handel.Stadt, 11–12 May 2027, Munich Airport.

Submit a case

Timeline

  1. Submission

    until to be announced

    Submit your use-case story via the form.

  2. User voting

    after the deadline

    Users vote online for their favourite cases while the expert jury evaluates.

  3. Award ceremony

    11–12 May 2027

    At the Zukunftstage Handel.Stadt, Munich Airport.

The award

The Retail Accessibility Award recognises solutions that make shopping easier for everyone. It is presented at the Zukunftstage Handel.Stadt (Future Days Retail.City), the meeting of retail, city marketing and technology, hosted by The LBMA, AKCS and the German retail association.

When
11–12 May 2027
Where
Munich Airport
Submission deadline
to be announced

Go to the Zukunftstage Handel.Stadt (opens in a new tab)

Why this category

Since 28 June 2025, the European Accessibility Act has been in force across the EU (in Germany through the BFSG). Online shops, apps and self-service terminals must now be accessible.

Accessibility matters to far more people than those with a disability: older customers, parents with prams, travellers with heavy luggage, or people who don’t speak the local language. Planning for them makes shopping easier for everyone.

What we are looking for

Each case is assigned to one location and to one or both layers: digital and physical.

City centre

Retail, city marketing, city initiatives

Digital

  • City app with step-free routes
  • Accessible retailer directories and city vouchers
  • Advance info on entrances, toilets, parking

Physical

  • Continuous, step-free shopping routes
  • Tactile, high-contrast guidance systems
  • Quiet zones and seating

Shopping centre

Centre operators and tenants

Digital

  • Indoor navigation with accessible routes
  • Real-time lift status
  • Click & collect with assistance

Physical

  • Quiet shopping hours
  • Trained staff and assistance services
  • Clear, high-contrast signage

Airport

Airports, retail, food & beverage, duty free

Digital

  • Accessible wayfinding to gates, shops and lounges
  • Duty-free pre-order with gate delivery
  • Multilingual, easy-to-understand information

Physical

  • Assistance for passengers with reduced mobility
  • Programmes for hidden disabilities
  • Accessible checkouts and sales floors

The examples are for orientation only. Solutions that connect digital and on-site are especially welcome.

What the jury looks at

Benefit for people
How much easier does shopping become for people with disabilities, older people and families?
Continuity
Do digital information and the on-site experience work together seamlessly?
Business impact
Measurable results in footfall, sales, dwell time or satisfaction.
Transferability
Can the solution be transferred to other cities, centres or airports?
Involvement and standards
Were affected people involved? Does the solution meet WCAG or the European Accessibility Act?

For this category, the expert jury from media, cities, retail and technology is joined by accessibility experts.

How to submit your case

  1. Choose location and layer: City centre, shopping centre or airport, and digital, physical or both.
  2. Describe your case: Starting point, solution, results in figures and learnings.
  3. Submit: Fill in the form below, no registration needed. We review your case, send the invoice and contact you by email. The jury then evaluates, and the winners are honoured at the Zukunftstage Handel.Stadt.

Entry fee: to be announced per submitted case. You will receive the invoice after we have reviewed your submission.

Companies from other EU countries with a valid VAT ID are invoiced without VAT under the reverse-charge procedure.

Example case

This is what a submitted use-case story can look like.

Submit your use-case story

Fields marked are required. Submitting takes about 15 minutes.

1. About you
2. Classification
Short and specific, e.g. “Step-free routes in the centre app”
Name of the retailer, centre or airport
Location *
Layer * (at least one)
3. Your use-case story
What was the problem, and for whom?
What was implemented? How do digital and on-site work together?
E.g. usage, footfall, sales, satisfaction, fewer complaints
Were affected people or associations involved? Does it meet WCAG or the European Accessibility Act?
JPG, PNG or WebP, max. 8 MB, ideally landscape
4. Billing details
Company, street, postcode, city, country
Required for companies from other EU countries so we can invoice without VAT (reverse charge)
5. Consent

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to enter?

The entry fee is to be announced per submitted case. You will receive the invoice after we have reviewed your submission. Companies from other EU countries with a valid VAT ID are invoiced without VAT under the reverse-charge procedure.

When and where is the award presented?

At the Zukunftstage Handel.Stadt on 11–12 May 2027 at Munich Airport.

Can I submit a case in several categories?

Yes, for example also in Retail Omnichannel or Retail Technology.

Does my case have to be digital and physical?

No, one layer is enough. Solutions that combine both score higher on continuity, though.

Do pilot projects count?

Yes, as long as the solution has been tested in real operation and first results are available.