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The Digital Product Passport is coming – the question is not whether, but when it will affect your business
What is the Digital Product Passport?
The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a key element of European sustainability and product policy. It provides important information about a product in digital form – for example, on its material composition, reparability, origin, energy efficiency, compliance or recyclability. The aim is to create transparency throughout the entire product life cycle and to strengthen the circular economy in Europe.
Many companies have so far associated the Digital Product Passport exclusively with the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). In fact, however, developments are going much further than that. More and more European legislative acts are adopting this concept or introducing comparable requirements for digital product information.
The crucial question is therefore no longer, whether Companies need to address the issue of the Digital Product Passport – but when and how well prepared they are for it.
Why is the Digital Product Passport being introduced?
The European Union is pursuing several objectives with the Digital Product Passport:
- greater transparency regarding products,
- Promoting the circular economy,
- longer product lifespan,
- easier repair and reuse,
- improved recyclability,
- reliable information for market surveillance and regulatory authorities.
In future, product information should no longer be scattered across individual documents or PDFs, but should instead be made available in a structured, digital format. This will benefit manufacturers, retailers, customers, service partners and public authorities alike.
When does the Digital Product Passport come into effect?
One of the most frequently asked questions is:
When will the Digital Product Passport become compulsory?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer, as the roll-out is taking place in stages.
The ESPR initially established the legal framework. Which product groups are actually required to have a Digital Product Passport will subsequently be determined by so-called delegated acts. These will be published gradually for individual product groups.
Similar requirements are already in place, or are emerging, for example as a result of
- the Battery Regulation,
- the Construction Products Regulation,
- the new Toy Safety Regulations,
- other European product regulations.
This means that not all companies are affected at the same time. However, regulatory developments clearly indicate that digital product information will become the norm in future.
That is why it is not worth waiting for the specific launch date for your own sector. Companies can save valuable time by preparing their product data and processes now.
Find out more about the Digital Product Passport.
Timetable: The key milestones of the digital product passport at a glance
The Digital Product Pass is being introduced in stages. Whilst the legal framework has already been established, the specific requirements for individual product groups are being set out gradually by the European Commission.
| Period | Milestone |
| July 2024 | Entry into force of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) as the legal framework for the Digital Product Passport. Find out more. |
| Until July 2026 | Establishment of the central EU DPP register, which serves as a directory for digital product passports. The actual product data remains decentralised, held by the manufacturer or its service provider. Find out more. |
| From February 2027 | For certain types of batteries (e.g. electric vehicle batteries and large industrial batteries), the battery passport will become mandatory. This marks the first time that a specific requirement for a digital product passport has been introduced within a product group. Find out more. |
|
From 2027 onwards. |
Other product groups, such as steel and iron, textiles, furniture, electronics and construction products, will be gradually incorporated through product-specific legal acts. The exact dates will depend on the respective delegated acts. Find out more. |
Which products does the Digital Product Passport apply to?
At present, it is not possible to answer this question with a comprehensive list either.
The European Commission is gradually introducing the Digital Product Passport for various product groups. Among other things, the current focus is on
- Batteries,
- Textiles,
- Steel & Iron,
- Furniture,
- Electronics,
- Construction products,
- other resource-intensive product groups.
With every new regulatory requirement, the scope is expanded.
For businesses, this means that even if their own product group is not yet directly affected, similar requirements are likely to be introduced in that area in the coming years.
The Digital Product Passport in the EU – more than just the ESPR
Whilst the ESPR provides the regulatory framework for the Digital Product Passport, it is merely one component of a much broader development.
An increasing number of European regulatory frameworks require structured digital product information throughout the entire life cycle.
The Digital Product Passport is thus evolving into a common information standard that will affect numerous sectors in the future.
Companies should therefore not view the DPP as an isolated compliance project, but as an integral part of their long-term digitalisation and data strategy.
The real challenge lies in the product data
Many companies initially ask themselves:
„When do we have to introduce the Digital Product Passport?“
In practice, however, a completely different question usually arises:
Is our product data even ready?
A digital product passport is not merely a QR code or a web application. What is crucial is that all relevant information is available in a complete, up-to-date and structured form.
These include, for example,
- Material compositions,
- technical product data,
- Information on repairability,
- Sustainability and recycling information,
- Evidence of conformity,
- technical documentation,
- Certificates.
In many companies today, this information is stored in various ERP, PLM or DMS systems, in Excel files, or even held exclusively by suppliers.
The real challenge, therefore, lies in consolidating this data, ensuring its quality and keeping it up to date on an ongoing basis.
Typical challenges faced by companies
In our experience, similar issues tend to arise in many projects:
- Product information is scattered across various systems.
- Responsibilities for data are not clearly defined.
- Suppliers provide information in various formats.
- Data quality and timeliness are different things.
- There is a lack of standardised processes for maintaining product information.
It is precisely these organisational issues that often take considerably more time than the subsequent technical implementation of the Digital Product Passport.
You can find personalised information and advice here.
Here’s how businesses can prepare today
Even if their own sector may not be affected for several years, companies can lay important foundations today.
A step-by-step approach is recommended:
- Collect and evaluate existing product data.
- Analyse data quality and completeness.
- Define responsibilities for product information.
- Examine data flows within the supply chain.
- Check existing IT systems for DPP compatibility.
- Develop a long-term strategy for the Digital Product Passport.
Companies that start early avoid being under considerable time pressure later on and significantly reduce the effort required for implementation.
The Digital Product Passport achieves more than just compliance
Of course, the primary focus is on meeting legal requirements.
That said, the Digital Product Passport does, however, offer numerous opportunities:
- more efficient processes thanks to standardised product data,
- faster delivery of technical documentation,
- better collaboration within the supply chain,
- higher data quality,
- greater transparency towards customers and the authorities,
- Support for sustainability and circular economy strategies,
- The foundation for new digital services and business models.
Companies that already systematically structure their product data are not only laying the groundwork for compliance with regulatory requirements, but are also improving their competitiveness at the same time.
Conclusion
The Digital Product Passport is becoming the new standard for digital product information in Europe. The ESPR is just one part of a much broader regulatory development.
The biggest challenge is not providing a Digital Product Passport at a later stage. Rather, the key is to ensure that the necessary product data is available in full, in a structured format and on a permanent basis.
Anyone who starts analysing their product data and processes today is laying the foundations for the efficient implementation of future requirements – whilst at the same time using the Digital Product Passport as an opportunity to achieve greater transparency, better data quality and sustainable competitive advantages.
Would you like to know how well your business is prepared for the Digital Product Passport?
We would be happy to help you analyse your product data, processes and systems and work with you to develop a practical DPP strategy for your business.
Request a no-obligation consultation here.
Further information
Anyone wishing to find out more about the Digital Product Passport will find further information in the following official sources: