Accessible retail spaces drive traffic, loyalty and sales
Ensuring your business is a welcoming space for everyone isn’t just good ethics. It’s good business. For convenience stores, compliance with federal and provincial accessibility legislation is essential, but only one part of a much bigger picture. True accessibility goes far beyond designated parking spaces, curb cuts and ramps. It’s about removing barriers at every stage of the customer journey—and tapping into a market with enormous, and often overlooked, spending power.
In Canada, 27% of people aged 15 and over—nearly 8 million Canadians—live with at least one disability, according to Statistics Canada. That number has risen steadily over the past decade and will continue to grow as the population ages. People with disabilities in Canada control an estimated $55 billion in annual disposable income, while globally, the disability market—including friends and family—is valued at more than $13 trillion.
For convenience stores, which rely on speed, ease and repeat visits, those numbers represent both a challenge and a significant opportunity.
From compliance to competitive advantage
“Accessibility has traditionally been viewed as a legal requirement,” says Mark DeMontis, Chief Accessibility Officer at Substance Group and a long-time accessibility consultant who has worked with the Ontario government, the National Hockey League and Lululemon. “But that mindset leaves a lot of value on the table.”
DeMontis brings both professional expertise and lived experience to his work. He became legally blind at the age of 17, an experience that shaped his career and perspective. “Accessibility has been a passion of mine for more than 20 years,” he says. “Today, I’m looking at it through a new lens—how to unlock the disability market, particularly in Canada.”
The issue, he explains, is not that legislation is unnecessary. It’s that legislation alone does not guarantee access to commerce. “The current framework focuses on removing obvious physical barriers, but it doesn’t ensure people can actually complete a transaction,” says DeMontis.
That gap has real financial consequences. Research consistently shows that most retail environments are still inaccessible to people with disabilities, and that inaccessibility is costing businesses billions in lost revenue each year.
Where retail falls short
For many disabled Canadians, shopping is still an exhausting and frustrating experience. More than half report encountering barriers in public spaces, including retail stores. These obstacles range from narrow aisles and cluttered pathways to payment terminals that are difficult to reach, read or operate.
Checkout is one of the most common failure points. “At least 75% of transactions fail for customers with disabilities because of inaccessible systems,” says DeMontis. “Those barriers can be physical, digital or attitudinal—and they often show up at the point of sale.”
For example, a payment terminal may be mounted too high for someone using a wheelchair or scooter. The screen may have low contrast or small fonts that are unreadable for someone with low vision. The keypad may lack tactile buttons. Audio prompts may be missing or disabled. Or a staff member may rush the interaction, assuming the customer needs help—or worse, ignoring them altogether.
“The abandonment rate at POS terminals can be as high as 95% for customers with disabilities,” explains DeMontis. “Once someone reaches the checkout and can’t complete the transaction independently, the frustration is often enough for them to leave.”
What makes this particularly costly is that staff frequently don’t realize what has happened. “Nine times out of 10, the person behind the counter thinks they just lost a customer for the day,” he says. “In reality, they may have lost that customer permanently—and possibly everyone that customer influences.”
Accessibility affects all customers
Accessibility improvements don’t benefit only disabled shoppers. Parents pushing strollers, older adults, people with temporary injuries, delivery drivers and customers carrying bags all benefit from wider aisles, clear signage and intuitive store layouts.
This is increasingly reflected in consumer expectations. Studies show that more than 70% of consumers expect brands to prioritise inclusion, and roughly two-thirds say they are willing to spend more with businesses that demonstrate inclusive practices. Importantly, this preference extends to non-disabled customers, particularly younger generations who are more likely to factor social values into purchasing decisions.
“Accessibility has a ripple effect,” says DeMontis. “When you design for people with disabilities, you almost always create a better experience for everyone.”
Why ‘bare minimum’ doesn’t pay off
Despite these realities, many retailers still focus on doing the minimum required to meet legal obligations. According to DeMontis, that approach is short-sighted.
“When businesses treat accessibility as a compliance exercise, they rarely see a return on investment,” he says. “They spend money to meet requirements, but they don’t change the customer experience in a meaningful way—so the revenue never follows.”
In contrast, companies that integrate accessibility into store design, technology decisions and staff training from the outset tend to see stronger loyalty, higher completion rates at checkout and fewer costly retrofits.
“Retrofits are expensive,” notes DeMontis. “They often involve legal fees, administrative time and operational disruptions. If you build accessibility in from the beginning, you save money and stay focused on your core business goals.”
Changing the conversation
One of the biggest barriers, DeMontis says, is perception. “There’s a stigma around accessibility,” he explains. “When companies hear the word, they think of legal risk, HR issues or complaints. They don’t think about growth.”
But the disability marketplace is expanding rapidly. As Canada’s population ages, the number of people living with mobility, vision, hearing and cognitive disabilities will continue to increase. At the same time, people with disabilities are living longer, working longer and participating more fully in the economy. “This is not a niche audience,” he adds. “It’s a mainstream consumer segment with significant buying power.”
Designing c-stores for accessibility
Convenience stores face unique challenges: smaller footprints, high product density and fast-paced transactions. But those same characteristics make accessibility even more critical.
“Small barriers have a big impact in small spaces,” explains DeMontis. “If the pathway to the checkout is blocked, or the POS terminal is hard to find or reach, the entire experience breaks down.”
He encourages retailers to actively involve people with a range of disabilities in the design and evaluation of stores, services and technology. “Lived experience reveals issues that checklists don’t,” he says.
Beyond economics, DeMontis stresses that accessibility is fundamentally about dignity. “It’s about respect, independence and the right to participate fully in society,” he says. “People with disabilities want the same thing as everyone else — to walk into a store, buy what they need and leave without friction or embarrassment.”
For convenience stores, the message is clear: accessibility is not just a legal obligation. It is a powerful lever for growth, loyalty and long-term relevance.
- 6 WAYS TO BECOME MORE ACCESSIBLE
As Mark DeMontis points out, compliance with current accessibility legislation is not enough. Convenience stores can improve profitability while ensuring a positive retail experience for disabled consumers. “It’s a win-win for everyone,” he says. Here’s how:
- 1. Learn more
Accessibility training is critical and available online and in person. Ask yourself: how are you engaging with existing customers who have disabilities? Do you provide a barrier-free experience? Does your staff know how to interact respectfully and effectively with disabled customers? Remember, many disabilities—from autism and learning disabilities—are invisible.
- 2. Ask questions
Speak directly with customers who have disabilities and ask what could make your store more accessible. Their lived experience provides insights you won’t find in a regulation manual—and most people appreciate being asked.
- 3. Get an audit of your store
Even a high-level accessibility audit can identify problem areas. Assess store pathways, shelving, signage and checkout areas. Consider customers using mobility devices, canes or service animals, and identify what might prevent them from completing a POS transaction.
- 4. Consider the triple ‘P’: product, placement and pathway
These are the first elements to evaluate. Can customers easily find the POS terminal? Are products cluttering the route to it? Is the terminal reachable for someone using a scooter or wheelchair? Is it easily identifiable for someone with low vision?
- 5. Upgrade your payment terminal
Are numbers clear and high contrast? Is the font adjustable? Are there audio prompts and tactile buttons? Are cords long enough to reach someone seated? Many providers, including Moneris, offer accessible features at no additional cost.
- 6. Reduce clutter
Overstocked aisles and promotional displays may drive impulse purchases, but they can also create barriers. Clear pathways support faster transactions and safer movement for everyone.