What is the Digital Product Passport (DPP)? A Complete Guide to ESPR
Everything you need to know about the EU Digital Product Passport: ESPR timelines, sectoral scope, data requirements and how to prepare your supply chain.
By Izvera Team
The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a standardised, machine-readable, verifiable record of a product's data across its entire lifecycle — from raw materials to recycling — bound to the product itself via a QR code, RFID or NFC tag. Driven by the EU's Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), the DPP is becoming a foundational layer for the circular economy.
This guide covers what the DPP is, how ESPR makes it mandatory, which sectors are first in line, and what manufacturers and exporters should do today.
DPP in one sentence
A DPP is a structured dataset attached to a product, accessible via a public identifier, and updated across the value chain by each tier of the supply chain.
Typical content includes:
- Manufacturer identity and origin
- Bill of materials (BOM) and component breakdown
- Carbon footprint and environmental metrics
- Supply-chain traceability records
- Repair, spare-part and recycling instructions
- Compliance certificates and test reports
ESPR timelines by sector
| Sector | Mandatory from | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Batteries (EV, industrial, portable) | February 2027 | EU Battery Regulation 2023/1542 |
| Textiles & apparel | 2027 (priority) | ESPR delegated act |
| Electronics & EEE | 2027–2028 | ESPR delegated act |
| Furniture, iron & steel, chemicals | 2028+ | ESPR delegated act |
| Construction products | 2028+ | CPR revision |
Why prepare now
The DPP is no longer a "nice to have" — it is a market access requirement. A product without a compliant DPP will not clear EU customs from 2027 onwards.
Beyond compliance, DPP unlocks:
- Brand transparency — verifiable sustainability story via QR.
- Secondary markets — repair, reuse and recycling data extends product life.
- Supply-chain optimisation — data-driven decisions, anti-counterfeit.
- Access to green finance — ESG reporting increasingly demands verifiable data.
Technical layers of a DPP
- Identification — GS1 Digital Link as the de-facto standard.
- Data layer — standardised JSON schemas, ERP/PLM integration.
- Verification — blockchain or digital signatures for immutability.
- Access — role-based data visibility via QR/NFC/RFID.
Get started with Izvera
Izvera is a blockchain-backed, GS1-compliant DPP SaaS platform serving textile, battery, electronics and furniture manufacturers. Explore the Izvera product or visit izvera.com for a demo.