What are Digital Product Passports?

The product identifier (for example, encoded in a GS1 QR Code powered by GS1 Digital Link) must be placed on the product itself or included in documentation accompanying the product.

In most cases, the same code will also appear on the packaging. This makes it easier for consumers to access product information before making a purchase and allows the code to be scanned in-store without opening the packaging.

The legislation will apply to all products placed on the EU market, with the exception of food, animal feed, and medicinal products.

At present, the EU is not planning to introduce Digital Product Passports specifically for food packaging under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). However, this may change as the legislation develops.

According to the ESPR, the product identifier must be placed directly on the product using a technology that ensures it remains readable throughout the product's lifetime.

The legislation applies to all products placed on the EU market, regardless of where they are manufactured.

It depends on the product category.

Products that need to be tracked and managed throughout their lifecycle will often require a unique identifier for each individual item. For consumable products, however, identification at the product or batch level is typically sufficient.

The EU has not yet published a timeline for when the different product categories will be covered under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR).

For some product groups, such as construction products (which may include paints), other legislation is already in place requiring the disclosure of certain sustainability-related information.

Yes. As part of the ongoing work to develop the detailed, product-specific rules under the Digital Product Passport (DPP) framework, existing standards will be assessed, and where necessary, new terminology and taxonomies will be defined and standardized for the attributes that must be included in the product passports.

This approach is intended to ensure consistent, interoperable data exchange while supporting automation across the value chain.

Standardization takes time, as it involves many stakeholders and aims to create harmonized solutions that are not limited to individual industries.

The final standardization work is being carried out by the CEN/CENELEC JTC 24 working group on behalf of the European Commission and is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.

To learn more about the work of JTC 24, you can find the group's work programme here.

At the same time, GS1 is working through its Global Standards Management Process (GSMP) to ensure that GS1 standards meet the needs of our members in the transition to a circular economy, with a particular focus on Digital Product Passports. This work follows the progress of CEN and CENELEC and is also expected to be completed by the end of 2025.