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Digital Product Passport (DPP)

Introduction to Digital Product Passport and how EPCIS enables product traceability for DPP compliance.

Quick Links

The documents and resources referenced within this page are listed below. If you wish to learn more about Digital Product Passports, please visit the respective links:

What is a Digital Product Passport?

A Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a digital record that contains key information about a product throughout its entire lifecycle. Think of it as a product's "digital ID card" that travels with it from creation to recycling.

The DPP provides easy access to important details such as:

  • Origin: Where and when the product was made
  • Materials: What the product is made of and where those materials came from
  • Environmental impact: Carbon footprint and sustainability information
  • Repair and maintenance: How to fix or service the product
  • Recycling instructions: How to properly dispose of or recycle the product at end of life

This information is typically accessed by scanning a QR code, NFC tag, or data carrier on the product. The passport helps consumers make informed choices and supports a more sustainable, circular economy.

Why Digital Product Passports?

The European Union introduced the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) to address growing environmental concerns. The DPP is a key component of this regulation, designed to achieve several important goals:

Sustainability and Circular Economy

  • Reduce waste: By providing repair and recycling information, products can be kept in use longer
  • Promote recycling: Clear information about materials helps recyclers process products correctly
  • Support reuse: Second-hand buyers can access the full history of a product

Consumer Transparency

  • Consumers can verify product claims about sustainability
  • Easy access to information about where products come from
  • Helps people make environmentally conscious purchasing decisions

Regulatory Compliance

  • Manufacturers must provide standardized product information
  • Authorities can verify compliance with environmental regulations
  • Creates accountability throughout the supply chain

Business Benefits

  • Builds trust with environmentally conscious consumers
  • Streamlines compliance with multiple regulations
  • Improves supply chain visibility and efficiency

How DPP Works

The Digital Product Passport system works through a simple flow:

┌─────────────────┐     ┌─────────────────┐     ┌─────────────────┐
│    Product      │     │   Data Carrier  │     │  Digital        │
│  Manufacturing  │ ──▶ │  (QR/NFC/RFID)  │ ──▶ │  Passport       │
│                 │     │  on Product     │     │  Database       │
└─────────────────┘     └─────────────────┘     └─────────────────┘
                                                        │
                                                        ▼
                              ┌──────────────────────────────────────┐
                              │         Accessible Information        │
                              │  • Product origin and materials       │
                              │  • Manufacturing date and location    │
                              │  • Environmental certifications       │
                              │  • Repair and recycling guides        │
                              │  • Supply chain history (via EPCIS)   │
                              └──────────────────────────────────────┘

Step-by-step process:

  1. Manufacturing: Product is created and assigned a unique identifier (like a GTIN)
  2. Data capture: Information about the product is recorded at each stage using standards like EPCIS
  3. Data carrier: A QR code, NFC tag, or RFID is attached to the product
  4. Access: Anyone can scan the data carrier to view the Digital Product Passport
  5. Updates: The passport is updated as the product moves through its lifecycle

DPP and EPCIS: The Connection

EPCIS (Electronic Product Code Information Services) is the ideal technology backbone for Digital Product Passports. Here's why they work perfectly together:

EPCIS Captures the Product Journey

Every time something happens to a product (manufactured, shipped, received, transformed, sold), an EPCIS event is created. These events form a complete history that feeds into the Digital Product Passport.

Mapping DPP Requirements to EPCIS Dimensions

EPCIS events contain five key dimensions that directly support DPP requirements:

| DPP Requirement | EPCIS Dimension | Information Captured | |----------------|-----------------|---------------------| | Product identity | What | Unique product identifiers (GTIN, serial numbers) | | Timeline | When | Date and time of each event in product lifecycle | | Location history | Where | Manufacturing location, warehouses, retail stores | | Business context | Why | Business processes (manufacturing, shipping, selling) | | Conditions | How | Sensor data (temperature, humidity during transport) |

Standards-Based Approach

Both DPP and EPCIS are built on GS1 standards, ensuring:

  • Interoperability: Different systems can exchange information seamlessly
  • Global recognition: Standards work across countries and industries
  • Future-proof: Built to evolve with changing requirements

Example: EPCIS Event for DPP

Here is an example of an EPCIS event that could contribute to a Digital Product Passport. This event captures the manufacturing of a battery pack:

Battery Manufacturing Event.json
{
   "@context":[
      "https://ref.gs1.org/standards/epcis/epcis-context.jsonld",
      {
        "ext": "https://example.ext.com/"
      }
   ],
   "type":"ObjectEvent",
   "eventTime":"2025-01-08T09:30:00Z",
   "eventTimeZoneOffset":"+01:00",
   "eventID":"urn:uuid:b5c7d8e9-f012-3456-789a-bcdef0123456",
   "epcList":[
      "https://id.gs1.org/01/09521141012345/21/1000001"
   ],
   "action":"ADD",
   "bizStep":"commissioning",
   "disposition":"active",
   "readPoint":{
      "id":"https://id.gs1.org/414/9520123456788"
   },
   "bizLocation":{
      "id":"https://id.gs1.org/414/9520123456788"
   },
   "ilmd":{
      "https://gs1.org/voc/productionDate":"2025-01-08",
      "https://gs1.org/voc/countryOfOrigin":"DE",
      "ext:batteryChemistry":"lithium-ion",
      "ext:capacity":{
         "@type":"https://gs1.org/voc/Measurement",
         "https://gs1.org/voc/measurementValue":"5000",
         "https://gs1.org/voc/measurementUnitCode":"2Z"
      },
      "ext:recycledContent":{
         "@type":"https://gs1.org/voc/Measurement",
         "https://gs1.org/voc/measurementValue":"25",
         "https://gs1.org/voc/measurementUnitCode":"P1"
      },
      "ext:carbonFootprint":{
         "@type":"https://gs1.org/voc/Measurement",
         "https://gs1.org/voc/measurementValue":"45",
         "https://gs1.org/voc/measurementUnitCode":"KGM"
      }
   }
}

What this event tells us:

  • What: A specific battery pack (identified by SGTIN)
  • When: Manufactured on January 8, 2025, at 9:30 AM
  • Where: At a factory in Germany (location identified by SGLN)
  • Why: The business step is "commissioning" (product coming into existence)
  • Additional data (ILMD): Manufacturing details, battery chemistry, recycled content, and carbon footprint

This single event provides critical information for the battery's Digital Product Passport. As the battery moves through the supply chain, additional EPCIS events are recorded, building a complete lifecycle history.

Industries Affected by DPP

The EU is rolling out DPP requirements in phases, starting with the most impactful product categories:

Batteries (Starting 2027)

The first sector to require Digital Product Passports. All batteries sold in the EU must have a DPP containing:

  • Battery chemistry and materials
  • Carbon footprint information
  • Recycled content percentage
  • Performance and durability data
  • Collection and recycling instructions

Textiles (Starting 2027-2030)

Clothing and textile products will need passports showing:

  • Fiber composition and origin
  • Manufacturing location
  • Care and repair instructions
  • Recycling information

Electronics

Electronic devices will require information about:

  • Component materials (including rare earth elements)
  • Repairability score
  • Spare parts availability
  • Proper disposal methods

Construction Materials

Building products will need to document:

  • Material composition
  • Environmental certifications
  • Durability and lifespan data
  • Recycling potential

Other Products

The ESPR allows for DPP requirements to be extended to virtually any product category in the future, including furniture, chemicals, and more.

Benefits of Digital Product Passports

For Consumers

  • Informed decisions: Access to verified information about product sustainability
  • Repair support: Find repair guides and spare parts easily
  • Resale value: Complete product history for second-hand sales
  • Trust: Verify manufacturer claims about environmental impact

For Businesses

  • Compliance: Meet EU regulatory requirements efficiently
  • Differentiation: Showcase sustainability efforts to customers
  • Efficiency: Streamline recall processes and supply chain management
  • Data insights: Better understand product lifecycle and customer needs

For the Environment

  • Extended product life: Better maintenance and repair information
  • Improved recycling: Accurate material information for recyclers
  • Reduced waste: Support for circular economy practices
  • Lower emissions: Transparency drives sustainable manufacturing

How OpenEPCIS Supports DPP

OpenEPCIS provides the tools needed to capture and share EPCIS data that feeds into Digital Product Passports:

  • Format Converter: Convert EPCIS events between XML and JSON-LD formats
  • Event Hash Generator: Create unique identifiers for EPCIS events
  • Test Data Generator: Generate sample EPCIS events for testing DPP implementations

Organizations implementing Digital Product Passports can use OpenEPCIS tools to:

  1. Capture product events throughout the supply chain
  2. Convert data to required formats for different systems
  3. Validate EPCIS data before submission
  4. Generate test data for development and testing

Getting Started with DPP

If your organization needs to implement Digital Product Passports, here are the recommended steps:

  1. Understand requirements: Review the ESPR regulation for your product category
  2. Assess current systems: Identify what product data you already capture
  3. Implement EPCIS: Set up EPCIS event capture throughout your supply chain
  4. Use GS1 identifiers: Ensure products have proper GS1 identification (GTIN, SGTIN)
  5. Test and validate: Use OpenEPCIS tools to verify your EPCIS implementation
  6. Connect to DPP platform: Link your EPCIS data to a Digital Product Passport system

Contact

If you have questions about implementing EPCIS for Digital Product Passports, or would like to discuss how OpenEPCIS can support your DPP implementation, please contact us at info@openepcis.io.