Sustainability is becoming increasingly important across the EU, and the
Digital Product Passport (DPP), first introduced in March 2020, clearly reflects this shift. For anyone already exploring or working with DPP, it is clear that it is
much more than another compliance requirement. It changes how product information must be
managed, shared and kept accessible.
In the following sections, we take a closer look at
how the DPP works and
how Pimics can help you meet its requirements.
What is a Digital Product Passport?
The
DPP is a
digital record for products, components and materials that provides relevant information to support sustainability, promote circularity and strengthen regulatory compliance.
How does a DPP work?
The process can be summarised in five steps:
1. Gathering all product information
Economic operators collect the product information required under the relevant EU legislation. Depending on the product category, a DPP may contain information about:
- Product origin
- Materials and composition
- Safety information
- Repairability
- Environmental performance
- Reuse opportunities
- Recycling information
2. Creation of the DPP and registration in the DPP Registry
The DPP is registered in the
EU Registry, which stores key identifiers and registration metadata. The complete product information remains with the economic operator or a DPP service provider. The physical product must be connected to its DPP through a data carrier, such as a QR code or another digital link.
3. Generation of a unique registration identifier (URI)
Once the DPP has been registered, the Registry generates a unique registration identifier for the passport.
4. Access to the information according to user roles
Different users access different information based on their role. By scanning the QR code or other digital carrier, consumers, repairers, recyclers and authorities can access the information relevant to them. Access rights are managed according to applicable legislation.
5. Support for transparency and DPP compliance
Each user group accesses information relevant to its needs: consumers can make informed purchasing decisions, repairers and recyclers can support repair and recycling, and authorities can verify compliance.
In simple terms, the DPP process supports the broader goals of the Digital Product Passport by making product information more
transparent, accessible and standardised throughout the entire product’s lifecycle. It gives businesses, consumers, repairers, recyclers and public authorities access to relevant and structured information.
Why effective Product Information Management
is essential for your DPP journey?
As Digital Product Passport requirements become
mandatory across more product categories (a simplified DPP timeline is included later in this article), manufacturers will need
reliable and high-quality product data.
The main challenge is not creating the passport itself. It is ensuring that the right product information is available and remains complete, accurate and properly maintained over time.
Without a strong product data foundation, collecting and managing all the required information becomes difficult and time-consuming, and this is where Product Information Management (PIM) becomes essential.
At Pimics, we believe that DPP readiness begins with structured product data, and our PIM system provides a central platform where businesses can organise, enrich and manage the large volumes of product information required for Digital Product Passports.
How to prepare for DPP
Preparation requires two things: structured product data and a reliable way to share it. Remember, the better your product data foundation is, the easier your DPP journey becomes.
How Pimics can help:
1. Create a strong product data foundation
Pimics helps companies manage and structure product data in
one central place, creating a reliable foundation for DPP readiness. Instead of maintaining product information across multiple spreadsheets, ERP records, or other disconnected systems, Pimics brings everything together into a single source of truth.
Product attributes, technical specifications, sustainability information, certifications, documents, and other product-related data can all be managed in one platform.
Automation and built-in data governance capabilities make it easier to manage the information volumes required for DPP.
Changes can be inherited automatically across product families, while
data verification and quality checks help ensure that every product contains the full information required for its DPP.
2. Make Product Information available through Pimics e-catalog
Managing the data required for the DPP is only one part of the challenge. Companies also need a reliable way to make this information
transparent and accessible.
With the
Pimics e-catalog, businesses can create a
centralised product portal that provides a foundation for publishing Digital Product Passport information. The portal can be tailored to
specific product categories, business requirements, branding and other user needs, while different audiences can be given access to the information relevant to them.
A key advantage of the Pimics e-catalog is that it is
built directly on the PIM platform. This gives companies
a single source of truth for managing and enriching all the product data,
while also making DPP-related information available through one central online platform.
In this way, Pimics addresses both sides of the DPP challenge:
managing reliable product data and making it accessible to the right people.
Which product categories are affected by
DPP and when?
The DPP is being introduced gradually across different product categories.
Here is a simplified overview of the key milestones:
- 18 February 2027: DPP requirements begin to apply to certain batteries, including electric vehicle, light means of transport and industrial batteries.
- 2027: Further requirements are expected for construction products, textiles, aluminium and tyres, alongside rules for DPP service providers.
- 2028: Furniture is expected to come under DPP requirements.
- 2029: Further requirements are expected for mattresses and recycled content.
The exact requirements and implementation dates vary by product category. Businesses should therefore monitor the relevant EU legislation and begin preparing their product data well in advance.
Is your product data ready for the DPP?
Don’t wait until the requirements take effect.
Contact us below to assess your current product data processes, identify gaps and discover the next steps towards DPP readiness with Pimics!