What is the Digital Product Passport?
The Digital product passport initiative is part of the proposed Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation and is one of the key actions under the Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP).
Digital product passport (DPP) seeks to shed light on the environmental impact of products across their entire lifecycle. The DPP aims to collect comprehensive data on a product and its supply chain; empowering all actors, from manufacturers to consumers, providing a greater understanding of the materials and processes involved.
The DPP increases the pressure and pushes for digitisation, connected data sets, and assessment of environmental impact across all product life cycles.
DPPs are not a stand-alone idea, elements of traceability, chain of custody and data sharing requirements are also present within a range of other regulations. These all form part of the European Union’s Digital Transition and Data Spaces plans designed to standardise access to data.
Compliance requirements
The development of DPPs, for businesses that are just starting this process, could be complex. Cooperation from the entire supply chain is essential to ensure that important product information is captured and validated. Although requirements are still being confirmed, some foundational guidelines have been established. Chapter III of the proposed Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation outlines the key elements of DPP creation, access, and data sharing.
In brief, every product placed on the EU market will need to carry its own individual information (DPP), access to which will need to be provided via a data carrier to a unique product identifier (UID). The UID should include digital links and be included on or with the products themselves, instead of just the outer packaging or tags. This will allow any interested parties the ability to access information directly relating to the product’s lifecycle, including: raw materials, manufacturers, distributors, retailers and recycling options. It is important to note that whoever brings a product to market will carry the responsibility for guaranteeing the data accuracy of the DPP, regardless of where they fall within the supply chain.
The data carrier and the UID shall comply with the standard (‘ISO/IEC’) 15459:2015. The information included in the product passport must list the product model, batch, or item.
You can download the complete list of the requirements for digital product passports, as laid out in the proposed Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, here.
We've made an easy-to-digest summary as well in our blog post: Digital Product Passport Data Collection Details.
Who does the Digital Product Passport apply to?
The European Commission is conducting a consultation phase, from 31 January until 5 December, on various product categories that will be impacted, including textiles and footwear.
The DPP's will initially focus on implementation across three key areas with textile production included. Other areas include construction, industrial and electric vehicle batteries, and consumer electronics. The EU is aiming to implement DPP's in these key areas by 2026.
Food, feed, and pharmaceutical products are currently thought to be excluded.
Risk Mitigation - it will take time, so start now
Supply chain traceability will be crucial for successful DPP implementation.
Implementing DPPs will require significant data collection across the entire supply chain, and a technical solution will be a necessity. If your business sells products in the EU, and is in one of the impacted sectors, then it would be wise to start making steps towards implementing measures to comply with DPPs now.
At Segura, we understand that the implementation of DPP’s may seem daunting, especially since requirement specifications are still being refined. The granular architecture of software like Segura, which can process all physical components and materials that contain unique digital identities (UIDs) from the beginning until the end of the supply chain, allows businesses to capture all of the information currently required for DPP’s.
"There will be a lot more legislation and reporting requirements coming through. We partnered with Segura because we know they can help us stay ahead of the game"
Advice for suppliers impacted by the Digital Product Passport
Digital product passports will significantly support the EU’s climate and environmental ambitions and help make the European economy more resilient. Retailers are working now to bring in changes to ensure they are ready, which will have an effect on the information they require from their suppliers.
Be prepared:
Understand more about the requirements and benefits of the DPP and consider ways you can help to progress the information transfer that will be required.
Be compliant:
Make sure that you are up to date and compliant with all legislation and understand the balance between data sharing and data protection.
If you’d like to know more, or have a free exploratory call, get in touch with us today; info@segura.co.uk
