Digital product passport (DPP) simply explained

What does the Digital Product Passport mean in practice?

The Digital Product Passport can be thought of as a digital information profile attached to a product. It gathers the key information related to the product and allows it to be shared between different stakeholders throughout the entire lifecycle of the product. The information may be accessible for example through a QR code that directs users to a digital information source.

The Digital Product Passport allows different stakeholders to review product-related information from one place. This can help with activities such as product maintenance, recycling, sustainability assessment, and regulatory supervision.

Why is the EU developing the Digital Product Passport?

The EU aims to improve product sustainability and transparency in the market through the Digital Product Passport. When product-related information is easily accessible, product use, repair, and recycling can function more efficiently.

The Digital Product Passport can help for example:

• improve product traceability

• support the circular economy

• make product repair and maintenance easier

• increase transparency of product information

• help authorities monitor product data requirements

What information can a Digital Product Passport contain?

The exact content of a Digital Product Passport depends on the product category, but it may typically include information such as:

• product materials

• manufacturer and origin

• technical specifications

• repairability

• recyclability

• environmental impact

• safety-related information

The EU will define more detailed data requirements separately for each product category in legislation.

When will the Digital Product Passport be introduced?

The Digital Product Passport will be introduced gradually for different product categories in the coming years. The first requirements will likely focus on product groups where environmental impact is significant or where transparency provides clear benefits.

Examples of such product groups include:

• textiles

• electronics

• batteries

• construction products

• furniture

The timeline and detailed data requirements will be defined separately in product-specific regulations.

What is the biggest challenge of the Digital Product Passport for companies?

For many companies, the biggest challenge is not the Digital Product Passport itself, but product data management.

Product information is often scattered across multiple locations, such as:

• ERP systems

• Excel files

• supplier documents

• e-commerce platforms

• different databases

When the Digital Product Passport requires structured and up-to-date product data, fragmented product data management can make compliance difficult.

Why does centralized product data management make DPP requirements easier?

The Digital Product Passport relies on the ability to connect and share product information easily between different systems and stakeholders.

In practice, this means companies need to be able to:

• collect product information from multiple sources

• manage product data centrally

• keep information up to date

• convert data into different system formats

• distribute information to multiple channels

When product data is structured and centralized, meeting new regulatory requirements such as the Digital Product Passport becomes significantly easier.

How can Pimmix help companies prepare for the Digital Product Passport?

Although the exact requirements of the Digital Product Passport will be defined separately for each product category, one thing is already clear: companies must be able to manage product data in a more systematic way.

Pimmix is a product data management platform designed to help companies collect, combine, and manage product data centrally.

With Pimmix companies can for example:

• collect product data from suppliers

• combine information from different systems

• manage product data in one place

• enrich and improve product information

• convert data for different channels and standards

When product data is structured and managed properly, companies are significantly better prepared to respond to future DPP requirements. Pimmix also provides a way for consumers to access product information, for example through QR codes.

Frequently asked questions about the Digital Product Passport

What is the Digital Product Passport (DPP)?
The Digital Product Passport is a system developed by the EU that allows key product information to be linked to a digital data profile and shared throughout the product’s lifecycle.

Is the Digital Product Passport mandatory?
The Digital Product Passport will be introduced gradually across different product categories as part of EU sustainable product regulation.

What information does the Digital Product Passport contain?
It may include information such as material composition, product characteristics, environmental impact, repairability, and recyclability.

How can companies prepare for the Digital Product Passport?
Companies can prepare by ensuring their product data is structured, up to date, and easily connected across different data sources.

Markus Rahkonen

Co-founder

"The Digital Product Passport highlights how important well-managed product data is for companies. In many organizations product data is still scattered across multiple systems. When product data is centralized and structured properly, new requirements such as the Digital Product Passport can be implemented much more efficiently."

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