What Is a Digital Product Passport?
A Digital Product Passport is a digital record attached to a physical product, containing detailed information about its materials, sustainability profile, manufacturing history, repairability, and end-of-life options. The DPP is designed to make product data accessible to all stakeholders—manufacturers, suppliers, retailers, regulators, and consumers—throughout the product’s lifecycle
Typically, the DPP will be accessible via a QR code, NFC chip, or RFID tag on the product or its packaging. Scanning the code provides instant access to a cloud-based passport, ensuring transparency and traceability from raw materials to recycling
Why Is the DPP Being Introduced?
The DPP is a cornerstone of the EU’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and the broader European Green Deal. Its main goals are to:
- Promote circularity: Enable products to be reused, repaired, or recycled more efficiently.
- Enhance transparency: Provide clear, accessible data on product composition, origin, and environmental impact.
- Support compliance: Help businesses and regulators verify that products meet EU sustainability and safety standards
Who Will Be Affected?
The DPP rollout will begin with key product categories, including:
- Batteries
- Textiles (garments and footwear)
- Iron and steel
- Aluminum
- Furniture and mattresses
- Tires
- Detergents, paints, lubricants, chemicals
- Electronics and ICT products
Manufacturers, importers, distributors, and retailers in these sectors must prepare to create and maintain DPPs for products sold in the EU. The list of covered products will expand over time as new delegated acts are adopted
Key Dates and Implementation Timeline
- April 2025: The European Commission publishes its first working plan outlining product groups prioritized for DPP requirements
- July 2026: Deadline for the EU to establish the central DPP registry, which will store unique identifiers for products
- 2027: Batteries become the first product group legally required to have a DPP. Textiles, iron, and steel follow soon after, with compliance deadlines expected by mid-2027
- 2028-2030: Additional product categories (e.g., furniture, mattresses) phased in according to the EU’s ecodesign roadmap
What Information Must the DPP Contain?
While requirements will vary by product, the DPP will typically include:
- Compliance documentation: Technical files, certificates, and declarations of conformity.
- Substances of concern: Details on hazardous materials for safe recycling and disposal.
- End-of-life instructions: Guidance on disassembly, recycling, or proper disposal.
- Manufacturer/importer details: Contact information and unique facility identifiers.
- Unique Product Identifier (UID): For tracking the product throughout its lifecycle.
How Can Sellers Prepare?
1. Understand the Regulations:
Familiarize yourself with ESPR and DPP requirements for your product categories. Stay updated on new delegated acts and working plans
2. Upgrade Data Collection Systems:
Implement advanced data collection and management systems to gather, store, and update product information across your supply chain
3. Choose the Right Data Carriers:
Adopt technologies like QR codes or RFID tags to link physical products to their digital passports
4. Collaborate Across the Value Chain:
Work closely with suppliers, logistics providers, and DPP service providers to ensure all necessary data is captured and updated throughout the product’s lifecycle
5. Plan for New Business Models:
Leverage DPPs to offer value-added services—such as repair, take-back, or extended warranties—that align with circular economy goals
Why Early Preparation Matters
The DPP rollout is ambitious and will affect nearly every sector over the next five years. Companies that prepare early will not only avoid compliance risks and penalties—they’ll also gain a competitive edge by demonstrating transparency, sustainability, and innovation to both regulators and customers.
“The saying goes, ‘you can’t manage what you can’t measure’. And soon, you won’t be able to sell it either.”
#DigitalProductPassport #EUCompliance #CircularEconomy #Sustainability #Traceability #Ecodesign
Sources: Intereconomics, Bluestone PIM, Mercell, Impinj, Segura, Climatiq, Shopify, Circularise