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Class action against the fast-casual chain for website accessibility barriers, notable because Sweetgreen had previously settled a similar lawsuit in 2016.
Plaintiff
Ali Colak (on behalf of class)
Defendant
Sweetgreen, Inc.
Date Filed
January 16, 2024
Jurisdiction
Southern District of New York (SDNY)
WCAG Level
Level AAIn January 2024, Sweetgreen faced a new class action lawsuit filed by Ali Colak in the Southern District of New York. The complaint alleges that Sweetgreen's website contains numerous access barriers for blind users, violating the ADA and New York City Human Rights Law. Specific barriers cited: - Missing alternative text for images - Unannounced pop-ups that interfere with screen readers - Incorrectly formatted lists hindering navigation - General screen reader incompatibility This lawsuit is particularly significant because Sweetgreen had previously reached a settlement regarding website accessibility in 2016. The recurrence of litigation highlights a critical lesson: accessibility is an ongoing commitment, not a one-time fix. Companies that lapse in their maintenance can and do face repeat lawsuits.
The Sweetgreen case serves as a warning that 'fixing' a website once is insufficient. Without ongoing governance and maintenance, accessibility degrades, leaving companies vulnerable to repeat litigation.