FAQs: Digital Product Passports

A Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a digital record that provides detailed information about a product’s materials, components, manufacturing, repair, and recycling. It is designed to improve traceability, transparency, and circularity across a product’s entire lifecycle.

Under the EU’s upcoming Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) (EU 2024/1781), the DPP will allow consumers, businesses, and regulators to access reliable sustainability and compliance data through a standardised, interoperable digital system—typically via a QR code or data carrier attached to the product.

The Digital Product Passport will gradually apply to a wide range of products placed on the EU market under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) (EU 2024/1781).

The European Commission will introduce DPP requirements sector by sector, starting with batteries, textiles, and electronics, and later expanding to construction materials, furniture, plastics, and toys.

Over time, most physical goods sold in the EU are expected to require a DPP, ensuring that detailed sustainability, safety, and circularity information is available throughout the value chain.

The first DPP requirements are expected to come into force from 2027, beginning with specific product categories such as batteries under the EU Battery Regulation.

Other sectors will follow as implementing acts are adopted under the ESPR between 2027 and 2030. Businesses should start preparing now by ensuring their data systems and supply chains can support the collection and sharing of product-level sustainability information.

Each product covered by the EU Digital Product Passport system will carry a unique digital identifier, such as a QR code, data matrix, or RFID tag, that links directly to the product’s passport.

By scanning this code with a smartphone or other digital device, users can instantly access verified information about the product’s composition, origin, repair options, environmental footprint, and regulatory compliance.

The DPP will be stored in an interoperable online database, ensuring that manufacturers, authorities, recyclers, and consumers can all access the data appropriate to their role. Sensitive business information will remain protected, while public details-such as sustainability and repair data-will be open and transparent to support the EU’s circular economy goals.

– Batteries (industrial, EV, and light means of transport) – February 2027
– Textiles, apparel & footwear – Late 2027 to 2028
– Furniture (including mattresses, upholstery) – Around 2028
– Iron & steel – 2026 to 2027
– Aluminium – 2027 to 2028
– Electronics / ICT equipment (e.g. phones, tablets, small appliances) – 2028 to 2030
– Toys – Expected around 2028 to 2030
– Tyres – ~2027
– Detergents, paints, lubricants, other chemicals – 2029 to 2030 +

The economic operator placing the product on the EU market is responsible for creating, updating, and maintaining the Digital Product Passport. This is typically the manufacturer, or, for imported goods, the authorised representative or importer established within the EU.

They must ensure that all required information—such as product composition, environmental performance, repairability, and compliance data—is accurate and up to date throughout the product’s lifecycle. The operator must also register the DPP in the central EU registry and make it accessible via the product’s digital identifier.

In practice, many companies will use specialised digital platforms or service providers to generate and manage their DPPs, ensuring they meet the EU’s technical and interoperability standards.

The exact information required in a Digital Product Passport will depend on the product category and the specific implementing act issued under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). However, all DPPs will need to include key data about the product’s sustainability, composition, and compliance.

Typical information in a DPP will include:

– Basic product details – product name, model, manufacturer, and unique identifier
– Material and substance composition – including critical raw materials and hazardous substances
– Environmental performance – such as carbon footprint, recyclability, and energy efficiency
– Repair and maintenance information – instructions, spare parts, and service points
– End-of-life guidance – reuse, recycling, and disposal options
– Compliance documentation – conformity assessment, standards applied, and regulatory declarations

Each passport must be digitally linked to the product and stored in an interoperable system, allowing authorised users to access verified, up-to-date data across the entire supply chain.