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What is a digital product passport?

A digital product passport (DPP) is the product’s digital identity. It holds structured information on origin, materials, documentation and circularity that can be shared along the value chain and with authorities.

Updated 21 August 2026~9 minute read

The EU is introducing digital product passport requirements step by step under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and product-specific rules. The aim is to make products more traceable, repairable and circular, and to give operators access to the same reliable product information.

A short definition

A DPP is not a PDF in an inbox, and it is not just a QR code on the pack. It is a structured, updatable dataset linked to a product (or product model/batch, depending on the rules), that can be reached digitally throughout the product’s life cycle.

Think of it as the product’s digital identity: the right data, with the right actor, at the right time, and a way to maintain it when products, materials or suppliers change.

What usually sits in a product passport?

Exact content is set by product group and the applicable legal acts. Common areas include:

  • Identity and product description (model, variant, identifiers)
  • Materials, substances and composition
  • Origin and relevant parts of the value chain
  • Environmental and sustainability data where required (for example climate impact)
  • Technical documentation, certificates and performance data
  • Information that supports repair, reuse and recycling

Why it becomes a requirement

When the applicable rules start to apply, the right product data becomes a condition for market access on the EU internal market. Companies that wait until the deadline risk manual rush projects, gaps in supplier data and expensive last-minute compliance.

What it means for manufacturers in practice

  1. Understand which requirements apply to your product group
  2. Map where product data sits today (ERP, PLM, spreadsheets, PDFs, suppliers)
  3. Fill gaps and quality-assure the information
  4. Create processes so the data stays up to date over time
  5. Publish and maintain the passport itself

See our product data checklist and why a DPP is not a QR code.

How Original Creation helps

OC automates the path from product data in business systems, files and supplier chains to proper digital product passports, so compliance becomes a maintained process, not a one-off project.

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This guide is for orientation and does not replace legal advice. Requirements and dates can change as delegated acts and product-specific rules are published.