The behavior of CdTe-ZnTe strained-layer superlattices has been investigated for the first time in electrolytic medium. The role of the electrochemical control of the superlattice/electrolyte interface is emphasized for gaining information on the material using the electrochemical technique. Measurements in the dark and under illumination enable avoiding spurious electrochemical reactions in further investigations, and the p-type conductivity of these superlattices is determined unambiguously. Photocurrent spectroscopy and electroreflectance measurements in electrolytic medium are coupled in order to determine the various transition energies of these complex structures. In particular, the apparent energy gap at room temperature is measured. It ranges between 1.56 and 1.87 eV depending on the relative thicknesses of the CdTe and ZnTe layers. Finally, a correlation between experimental results and the sample quality is proposed.