A Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a digital record that brings a product’s identity, origin, composition, environmental data and compliance evidence together in one machine-readable place. It opens from a QR code or NFC tap on the product; consumer, retailer, customs and auditor each reach a different depth of the same record. This guide explains what a DPP is, what is becoming mandatory, and how a manufacturer prepares today.
What exactly is a DPP?
A DPP is far more than a printed QR. It is a structured, versioned compliance record bound to a persistent identifier (e.g. a GS1 Digital Link + GTIN). The same identifier serves several audiences: care and recycling information for the consumer, shelf and checkout data for the retailer, and the full compliance file for customs and auditors. The passport must stay available for the product’s regulated life.
Why is it coming? ESPR and the circular economy
The legal engine behind the DPP is the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR, (EU) 2024/1781). The aim is to accelerate the circular economy: less waste, longer life, repairability and a transparent supply chain. ESPR is a framework regulation; the detailed rules arrive through product-specific delegated acts. See the ESPR guide for detail.
Which products are in scope?
The first waves were prioritised by the ESPR Working Plan 2025–2030. Food, feed and medicinal products are outside the scope of ESPR.
Priority product groups and status
Product group
Status / expected timing
Batteries
Battery passport 18 February 2027 — binding ((EU) 2023/1542)
Identity: unique product identifier (UPI), GTIN, model/batch, production date.
Origin: countries of manufacture, facility identity, supply-chain stages.
Composition: materials, blend ratios, substances of concern (SVHC).
Circularity: recycled content, repairability, care and spare-parts information.
Environmental: product carbon footprint (PCF) and life-cycle data.
Compliance: certificates, test reports, declarations of conformity.
Lifecycle events: repair, resale and recycling records.
Data carrier and access
Access opens from a data carrier — typically a GS1 Digital Link QR or Data Matrix, optionally an NFC tag. At least one carrier must be free, app-less and readable on a standard smartphone. Access is tiered: public fields for the consumer; authorised fields for the retailer, customs and auditors. See the timeline for how the standards land.
How to prepare: six steps
Pick a product family and produce an end-to-end passport for a single product.
Map your suppliers — who can provide which data?
Fix your data model; most bills of materials are not kept to this level of detail.
Digitise certificates (from PDFs into structured data).
Decide the carrier strategy and test it with your print supplier.
Start early on carbon data — it needs the longest lead time.
The DSR difference
Most tools publish a static passport on their domain. DSR gives you a living, item-level digital twin on your own domain: unlimited immutable versioning, independent validator counter-signatures, optional chip-level (NTAG 424 DNA) authentication and zero-egress. Ownership rests on physical truth and an unbroken chain of custody — with no blockchain, token or wallet.
Frequently asked questions
Is a DPP just a QR code?
No. The QR is only the passport’s address. The passport is a structured, versioned compliance record bound to a persistent identifier.
When does the DPP become mandatory?
It depends on the product group: the battery passport is binding on 18 February 2027; for textiles the delegated act is expected ~2027 with mandatory use ~2028–2029 (indicative). See the timeline.
Who is responsible?
Legal responsibility sits with whoever places the product on the EU market (the brand/importer); but the data is usually required from suppliers and contract manufacturers by contract.
Can I start today?
Yes — pilot with a single product, get the identity and origin fields right, and put a GS1 Digital Link live today. Starting early de-risks the hardest part (data collection).
DSR lets you create, publish and independently attest Digital Product Passports that live on your own domain — aligned with ESPR and GS1 Digital Link, zero-egress, KVKK-aligned and with no lock-in.
This guide is for information only and is not legal advice. Regulatory dates are indicative and may change; verify decisions against current EU legislation.