The EU Digital Product Passport (DPP) is set to be one of the biggest compliance changes of the coming years for manufacturers and distributors. In this guide we break down, in plain language, what a DPP is, why the EU is introducing it, what data it must contain, and — most importantly — when it becomes mandatory and for whom.
What is a Digital Product Passport?
A Digital Product Passport (DPP for short) is a standardised, digitally accessible data sheet that holds reliable information about the entire lifecycle of a specific product: from material composition and origin, through its environmental footprint, to repairability and recyclability.
The key idea is that this data is available to anyone through a data carrier — typically a QR code placed on the product itself: a shopper, an authority, a repair technician or a recycler can reach the authenticated data with a single scan.
Why is the EU introducing it?
The DPP is one of the central instruments of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR — (EU) 2024/1781). The EU's aim is to strengthen the circular economy and make supply chains more transparent: when a product's sustainability data is available in a consistent, verifiable form, it becomes easier to repair, reuse and recycle — and harder to "greenwash" the reality.
What data does a product passport contain?
The exact data fields differ by category (textiles need different information than batteries), but the most common elements are:
- Material composition and the origin of the materials used
- Environmental footprint (e.g. product-level carbon footprint, PCF)
- Share of recycled content
- Repairability and spare-part availability
- Recyclability and waste-handling guidance
- Supply-chain steps and product-level traceability
You can see exactly what the regulation requires, broken down by industry, on the Solutions page — for example for textiles or batteries.
Who does it apply to, and when?
The DPP is being rolled out in phases, category by category. The currently planned timeline is:
| Category | Expected date |
|---|---|
| Iron and steel | 2026 (first priority) |
| Textilees and clothing | 2027 |
| Aluminium | 2027 |
| Furniture | 2028 |
| Electronics and more | Gradually, through 2030 |
| Batteries (separate regulation) | 18 February 2027 |
Important: the battery passport falls not under the ESPR but under the separate Batteries Regulation ((EU) 2023/1542), and it will be the EU's first digital product passport to become mandatory in practice. For the other categories, actual compliance typically kicks in about 18 months after the relevant delegated act is adopted.
How does it work in practice?
A data carrier — most often a QR code — is placed on the product (or on its packaging or accompanying documentation). It points to a unique, durable web address where the passport's data is available in a form that is both human- and machine-readable. The solution builds on standards such as GS1 Digital Link and typically also manages access levels: the public sees one set of data, while an authority or a recycler sees another.
What happens if you don't comply?
Under Article 74 of the ESPR, national penalties must be "effective, proportionate and dissuasive". In practice this can mean fines, restrictions on placing the product on the market, and even exclusion from public procurement. The exact amounts and procedures are set by national law.
How can you prepare now?
Although some deadlines still look far off, preparation starts today — not least because many large corporate buyers already expect DPP data from their suppliers before it becomes mandatory. The first steps:
- Assess which of your product lines are affected and which category they fall under.
- Gather your material and supply-chain data (much of it already exists — it's just scattered).
- Choose a passport-management system that produces a standardised, multilingual passport and QR code.
How does Veridyn help?
With Veridyn you can create your first standardised digital product passport in minutes, with no coding: category-specific data fields, multilingual display, a printable QR code and machine-readable data — all in EU DPP-ready form. Try it for free, and as the legal acts for the remaining categories are finalised, the templates grow with them.
Check out the pricing, or read the frequently asked questions — and if you have a specific question, get in touch.