Digital Product Passport (DPP): What businesses need to know now
The Digital Product Passport (DPP) makes relevant product information available digitally throughout the entire life cycle and is gradually becoming mandatory for various product groups. For businesses, this means it is important to prepare well in advance. Find out what requirements apply, when the DPP will become mandatory, and what role QR codes, NFC and RFID play in this process.
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What is a Digital Product Passport (DPP)?
The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a digital identity for physical products, components, and materials. It provides relevant product information in a structured and digital format throughout the entire life cycle. This may include, for example, information on materials, origin, repairability, sustainability, or recycling. The specific information required depends on the respective product group and the applicable legal requirements.
The legal basis is, in particular, the EU Ecodesign Regulation (ESPR, EU 2024/1781). It establishes the framework for the Digital Product Passport and is intended to help make products more sustainable and recyclable. The specific requirements are being established gradually for individual product groups.
Via a label on the product or packaging, such as an RFID/NFC tag or QR code, the stored information can be retrieved digitally. Depending on their authorization, consumers, companies, or government agencies are granted access to the data relevant to them.
In this way, the Digital Product Passport creates greater transparency throughout the product lifecycle and helps companies provide product information in a structured manner and comply with future regulatory requirements.
Legal Basis: ESPR and Other Regulations
The central legal basis for the Digital Product Passport (DPP) is the European Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR, EU 2024/1781). It establishes the regulatory framework for more sustainable products and the phased introduction of the Digital Product Passport for selected product groups.
The specific information that a DPP must contain and the effective dates of the respective requirements are determined on a product group-by-product group basis. This can be done through product-specific delegated acts under the ESPR or through standalone EU regulations.
Important regulatory frameworks include, among others:
When will the Digital Product Passport become mandatory?
The Digital Product Passport will gradually become mandatory for various product groups. There is therefore no single deadline that applies to all products. When a company must provide a DPP depends on the specific product group and the underlying EU regulation.
Important: The years listed for the ESPR product groups refer to the currently planned drafting or adoption of product-specific legal acts and do not automatically mark the start of the DPP requirement. The specific requirements and implementation dates will be set forth in the respective legal acts. Companies should therefore familiarize themselves with the Digital Product Passport at an early stage and determine which legal requirements will apply to their product groups.
What requirements must a Digital Product Passport meet?
To ensure that the Digital Product Passport can be used uniformly across Europe, the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) defines basic technical and organizational requirements. Depending on the product group, the specific content and requirements may also be defined by product-specific legal acts.
The essential requirements include:
Each DPP must be linked to the respective product via a unique product identifier. Access is granted via an appropriate label affixed directly to the product, its packaging, or the accompanying documentation.
The information must be provided in a structured format so that it can be processed and exchanged across systems.
Required information and identifiers are recorded in the European Commission’s central DPP registry. The complete product passport itself is not stored centrally in the registry.
When a product subject to the DPP is placed on the market, a backup copy of the Digital Product Passport must be provided through a DPP service provider. This is intended to ensure the long-term availability of the information.
Harmonized European standards specify the technical requirements for, among other things, data carriers, unique identifiers, data exchange, and the interoperability of DPP systems.
Where does the data for the Digital Product Passport come from?
A key challenge in creating a Digital Product Passport is consolidating the necessary product information from various sources and presenting it in a structured format.
- External data sources (e.g., from suppliers and partner companies)
- Supplier data (information about the origin, composition, and processing of materials or components)
- Partner data (e.g., information on the maintenance, repair, or disposal of a product)
- Internal data sources (generated throughout the company’s own value-added processes)
- Production data (e.g., materials used, production processes, or energy consumption)
- Quality data (e.g., inspections and quality assurance regarding product characteristics, tests, or compliance requirements)
- Service data (information related to the sale, delivery, maintenance, and service of a product)
It is crucial to consolidate and manage this information within clear and structured digital processes.
Do you have questions? Talk to our experts:
Data Storage Media for the Digital Product Passport: RFID, NFC, or QR Code?
To ensure that the Digital Product Passport can be uniquely linked to a physical product, a suitable identification solution is required. This solution contains or transmits a unique identifier that can be used to retrieve the digital product information.
Depending on the product and application, various Auto-ID technologies can be used for identification, in particular RFID, NFC, or QR codes.
The European standard EN 18220:2026 “Digital Product Passport – Data Carriers” defines requirements for labeling within a DPP system. Among other things, it addresses format and encoding, machine readability, print and production quality, durability, and the unique link between the physical product and its digital representation.
RFID, NFC, and QR Codes Compared
| Technology | Access | Typical Advantages | Particularly Suitable For |
|
QR Code |
optical via camera/scanner | easy to use, widely used, no special wireless technology required | Applications where information needs to be easily accessible, for example via a smartphone |
|
NFC |
contactless at close range | convenient interaction via an NFC-enabled device; data carriers can be integrated directly into the product or label | Products where intuitive digital interaction at close range is desired |
| RFID | contactless via an RFID system | automated identification possible without line of sight | industrial processes, logistics, production, and automated identification |
Which technology is best suited for the Digital Product Passport therefore depends on the specific application. Criteria such as environmental conditions, desired read range, available readers, degree of automation, and the integration of the identification into the product play an important role in the selection process.
A combination of different Auto-ID technologies may also be useful to meet various requirements throughout the product lifecycle.
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Value Added Beyond the Minimum Requirements
By providing detailed information about manufacturing, materials, and environmental impacts, the DPP enables companies and consumers to make sustainable, data-driven decisions. This promotes environmentally friendly production practices and product designs.
In addition, the DPP can increase efficiency in recycling and disposal while optimizing resources and costs. The data provided by digital product passports also helps simplify the reuse of products and materials.
Structured and digitally available product information enables companies to streamline processes and develop new digital services or business models centered around a product.
Greater data transparency along the value chain can also help optimize processes and facilitate a more efficient exchange of information between manufacturers, suppliers, service partners, and other stakeholders.
The Digital Product Passport can help companies provide product information required by regulations in a structured, up-to-date, and traceable manner. Particularly when it comes to product-specific requirements, relevant information can be consolidated in a central location and made available to authorized parties.
The DPP does not replace existing legal documentation or reporting requirements. Rather, it creates a structured digital foundation that enables companies to meet regulatory requirements more efficiently and provide the necessary product information transparently.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Digital Product Passport
The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a digital identity for physical products, components, and materials. It provides relevant product information in a structured, digital format throughout the entire life cycle—for example, regarding materials, origin, repairability, sustainability, or recycling.
There is no uniform effective date for the Digital Product Passport. The DPP requirement is being phased in gradually for different product groups. When it specifically takes effect and which requirements must be met are determined by the relevant EU regulations and product-specific legal acts.
The economic operators who place a product subject to the Digital Product Passport (DPP) on the EU market or put it into service are responsible for providing a Digital Product Passport, in accordance with the requirements of the applicable regulation. Which specific companies and product groups are affected will be determined gradually through product-specific regulations.
No, you don't need to download the app beforehand. As soon as the NFC tag or QR code is scanned with your smartphone, the DPP opens directly on the device.
That depends on the product, the environment in which it is used, its lifespan, and anti-counterfeiting requirements. QR codes are inexpensive, while NFC transponders are more robust, harder to copy, and can be integrated invisibly into virtually any product. We’d be happy to advise you on the right solution.
Now. Even if the requirement for your product group doesn’t take effect until later, compiling data from the supply chain, connecting systems, and integrating labeling into production all require lead time. Those who start sooner will reap the benefits of the DPP sooner.
Talk to us about your Digital Product Passport
Whether you’re just getting started or have a specific project in mind, we’ll work with you one-on-one to determine which requirements apply to your products and which identification method (RFID/NFC or QR code) is best suited for your application.
