Plain Language or Easy-to-Read Language? A Practical Guide

Both make information accessible and barrier-free, but they follow different rules, address different target groups and have a different legal status. This guide shows ways to make your communication accessible and understandable, and lists standards and laws as of October 29, 2026.

What is easy-to-read language?

Easy-to-read language is the most strictly regulated form of simplified communication and is aimed mainly at people with learning difficulties. It makes information accessible to this group by relying on short sentences, familiar words and a clear layout. Since February 2025, DIN SPEC 33429 (edition 2025-03) has been published, as the Bundesfachstelle Barrierefreiheit (the German federal agency for accessibility) reports. It complements older rule sets such as that of the Netzwerk Leichte Sprache and contains recommendations for translating, writing and designing content. It was developed with the involvement of people with reading and learning difficulties. It is not a legal requirement, but it is an important reference for quality assurance in accessible communication.

Typical features are:

• ✓ Short sentences: Each sentence contains only one idea and starts on a new line.
• ✓ Short, familiar words: Long words are split, for example with a hyphen or a middle dot. Foreign words and abbreviations are avoided or explained.
• ✓ Simple grammar: no genitive and no subjunctive.
• ✓ Clear design: large type, one column, plenty of white space and often images or pictograms.

These design options make content accessible to many people who struggle with standard texts. The review is decisive: the Bundesfachstelle Barrierefreiheit recommends providers who have people with learning difficulties check the translated texts. Anyone who labels an unchecked text as easy-to-read language risks that the target group will not understand it. Communication that is not understandable remains a barrier and is not truly accessible.

What is plain language?

Plain language is a simplified form of standard language for a broad audience. For a long time there were no uniform rules, and that changed in 2024: the international standard ISO 24495-1 provides principles, and DIN 8581-1 (edition 2024-05) applies them to German. According to DIN Media, people with cognitive impairments are expressly not the target group of this standard, and rules for easy-to-read language are not part of it. It only becomes mandatory if a law or a contract requires it.

Typical features are a focus on the target group, short sentences and simple words, where subordinate clauses are allowed and technical terms are explained. The structure is clear and the layout resembles standard text. Checking with the target group is useful but not required. As a rough guide, the provider capito places plain language at about B1 and easy-to-read language at A1 to A2. Because plain language stays close to standard language, it is quicker to produce. It offers many options for flexible use, from product descriptions to help pages, and makes even extensive content accessible without cutting it to the bare minimum. Here too: anyone who writes clearly makes communication accessible for many people.

The main differences

Easy-to-read language is more strongly simplified, more tightly regulated and checked with the target group. The other variant is more flexible and stays closer to standard language. The target group of the first is people with learning difficulties, cognitive impairments, dementia or very limited German skills, that of the second a broad audience, such as people with low reading skills or German as a second language. The effort also differs: the easy-to-read variant needs translation, review and layout, while the plain variant is quicker to produce.

A rule of thumb for communication: do not ask first about the level, but about the people who read the text. Communication is only understandable when its target group understands it, and it should preserve the content. Good communication is guided by people, not by rule books, and it is accessible when it is understandable and open to everyone.

Which laws and duties apply?

Public bodies have clear requirements for communication in easy-to-read language, private companies under the BFSG do not. The communication of private companies is less strictly regulated, but not arbitrary. They must therefore provide information that is understandable and accessible. The legal status of the two variants differs considerably, which results in different options and duties.

Public bodies: BGG and BITV 2.0

Under section 11 of the Disability Equality Act (BGG), federal public authorities should communicate with people with intellectual and mental disabilities in simple and understandable language. On request, they should explain notices and, where that is not enough, explain them in easy-to-read language, and they should increasingly provide information in this form. The law mostly words these duties as "should" provisions. The BITV 2.0 is more specific: section 4 requires four explanations in German Sign Language and in easy-to-read language on the homepage of a public body's website. These are information on the essential content, guidance on navigation, an explanation of the accessibility statement and pointers to further offers. The Bundesfachstelle assigns this to the websites of federal public bodies, while the federal states and municipalities are generally subject to their own state rules.

Private companies: BFSG and BFSGV

The Accessibility Strengthening Act (BFSG) has applied since June 28, 2025 and also covers online shops as e-commerce services (section 1(3) no. 5 BFSG). Neither the European Accessibility Act, nor the BFSG, nor its ordinance contains express provisions on easy-to-read language. Accessible communication is therefore not tied to a particular form. You have several options. Understandability is still required: under section 12 BFSGV, information on how a service works must be presented in an understandable way. Only for consumer banking services does section 17(2) BFSGV set a limit, namely language level B2.

As the technical benchmark for websites, the Bundesfachstelle names EN 301 549 in version 3.2.1. For web content it refers to the A and AA success criteria of WCAG 2.1, not directly to WCAG 2.2. According to the provider Deque, version V4.1.1 with WCAG 2.2 was published on September 2, 2026. A presumption of conformity only arises once it is cited in the EU Official Journal. More in our article EN 301 549 V4.1.1: what changes for online shops.

WCAG 3.1.5: reading level

WCAG success criterion 3.1.5 (level AAA) requires supplemental content or a simpler version if an offer needs more than lower secondary reading ability. For this, the W3C names several options for making content accessible, such as a summary, illustrations or a spoken version. Since AAA is not part of levels A and AA, 3.1.5 does not become mandatory under the BFSG.

An example from the shop

An example shows how options and limits of simplification play out. The wordings are our own illustrations, not model texts.

• ✓ Standard version of a withdrawal notice: "If you wish to withdraw from the contract within the statutory withdrawal period of fourteen days from receipt of the goods, please send us your withdrawal statement in text form."
• ✓ Plain language: "You can cancel the contract within 14 days. Send us a message by email or letter."
• ✓ Easy-to-read language: "You can send the goods back. You have 14 days for this. Write us a message. An email is enough."

The example shows a limit: the easy-to-read version says neither when the period starts nor that it is about withdrawing from the contract. For legally relevant information, simplification must not leave out anything essential or distort the content. Have such versions checked jointly by a linguistically and a legally qualified person.

Online shop: which texts to simplify first?

If you make your shop accessible, start where communication with customers concerns decisions or obligations: the accessibility information, withdrawal and returns, shipping and payment, and forms and error messages. Communication at checkout in particular decides whether your shop is accessible to use and whether people can complete their purchase. You have several options for this, and all of them can be used step by step so that your offer stays accessible to everyone.

Under section 14(1) no. 2 BFSG and Annex 3 no. 1, service providers must make the information accessible and state, among other things, a general description of the service, explanations of how it is carried out, how the requirements are met and the competent market surveillance authority. The Bundesfachstelle recommends plain language for this, and a link "Accessibility" in the header or footer of the page so the information is easy to access. For error messages, say what is wrong and how to fix it, so that people with low reading skills do not give up. More in our article Building accessible forms. A summary of terms and conditions and privacy policy can be understandable and accessible without replacing the original. Whether it may replace the legally binding version is a legal question, so label it as a supplement.

Section 3(3) BFSG provides an exception for micro-enterprises that offer services: fewer than ten employees and annual turnover or an annual balance sheet total of at most 2 million euros. It applies only to services, not to products. Whether it applies to your shop should be checked professionally.

Which variant suits you?

Which communication fits depends on your target group. For most private providers, plain language is the pragmatic starting point. The stricter variant is worthwhile for public bodies, for offers aimed at people with learning difficulties or dementia, and wherever misunderstandings would be serious, for example with assistive devices, medication information or emergency services. You can combine both options: standard text for the main target group, a plain version for people with lower reading skills, and explanations in easy-to-read language for particularly critical content. Link and label each version so that they are accessible to everyone. This gives you different options that can be expanded step by step.

Accessible communication in everyday practice: an overview of options

Accessible communication starts with the question of who should read your content. There are more options than many people think, and they combine well. Each of them removes barriers before they arise.

• ✓ Structure: A page built accessibly is usable by everyone. Clear headings, short paragraphs and lists make an offer accessible to people with little time or reading experience.
• ✓ Simple words: Writing clearly reaches more people and saves follow-up questions. One example is "You can return it free of charge" instead of "Return shipping is provided at no cost".
• ✓ Explanation and findability: Technical terms should be explained clearly, ideally where they appear. An offer that is designed accessibly but cannot be found remains out of reach for many people. For example, a visible link to the plain version on every page helps.
• ✓ Images, audio and video: They make content accessible without replacing it and add to written communication for people with reading difficulties.
• ✓ Dialogue: Ask people from your target group whether your communication is understandable. Many people say openly where they get stuck.

How these options feel in a shop is shown by an example: a customer with little reading experience opens the returns page. If it is built accessibly and written clearly, they find the answer in seconds. If not, they give up, and none of the options you did not build in can help them then. Further options are glossaries, summaries at the top of the page, read-aloud functions and several ways to get in touch, such as phone, email and form. Anyone who uses these options creates an offer that is accessible, understandable and open to everyone.

Common mistakes in implementation

Most mistakes in communication arise because simplification is understood as pure shortening. Poorly done simplification creates new barriers. Typical pitfalls:

• ✓ No review: Easy-to-read language without a check by the target group misses its purpose.
• ✓ Too much cutting: Essential information is lost, especially with legally relevant statements.
• ✓ Superficial simplification: Short sentences do not help if the concepts stay abstract.
• ✓ Wrong label: Passing off a plain version as easy-to-read language costs trust.
• ✓ No upkeep: When the original changes, the simplified version becomes outdated, and without a responsible editorial team, contradictory information appears. A version nobody finds is not accessible.

SiteCockpit: keep accessibility in view for the long term

Translating into easy-to-read or plain language remains a linguistic and editorial task, and for the easy-to-read variant it must be done with a review group. The technical basis, on the other hand, can be checked continuously:

• ✓ easyMonitoring: monitors your website continuously, uncovers errors such as contrast problems, missing labels or invisible keyboard focus and delivers prioritized to-dos.
• ✓ easyStatement: creates a current accessibility statement based on real test results.
• ✓ easyTranslate: generates translations into other languages automatically, as a complement for multilingual target groups.

What makes sense now

There is no reason to panic, but there is real need for action. A duty to use easy-to-read language mainly applies to public bodies. Private providers under the BFSG must, however, provide information in an understandable and accessible way. Accessible communication can be built in three steps:

• ✓ Establish where you stand: Clarify whether the BFSG or BITV 2.0 applies to your offer, and note which options are open to you.
• ✓ Simplify the most important texts: Simplify them in the plain form and have legal content cross-checked.
• ✓ Keep it in view long term: Name an editorial owner who updates the versions with every change to the original and keeps them accessible.

You can check the technical implementation continuously, for example with easyMonitoring. A first assessment of your website is provided by the free SiteCockpit Livecheck.

Note: This article provides general information on the legal situation (as of 10/29/2026) and does not replace individual legal advice.