How Does a Digital Product Passport Work?

Introduction
The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is transforming how industries manage, trace, and share product information. Driven by the European Union’s sustainability regulations, it provides manufacturers, distributors, and consumers with a transparent, standardized way of accessing a product’s entire lifecycle data — from raw material sourcing to recycling.
But how exactly does a Digital Product Passport work? Let’s break it down into its key components:


Data Types in a DPP
At its core, the DPP is a data container that captures essential product information. The type of data included depends on the industry, but typically covers:
Product Identification: Serial numbers, model numbers, batch codes.
Materials & Components: Details of raw materials, chemical composition, critical minerals, recyclability.
Manufacturing Data: Factory origin, production date, energy footprint, compliance certificates.
Usage & Maintenance: Manuals, repair history, upgrade options.
Sustainability & Compliance: Carbon footprint, environmental certifications, regulatory compliance (EU standards, REACH, RoHS, etc.).
End-of-Life Information: Recycling instructions, disassembly guidelines, recovery potential.
This structured data ensures every stakeholder in the value chain — from suppliers to recyclers — has access to relevant information.


Technologies That Power the DPP
To make this data accessible, the Digital Product Passport relies on several technologies:
🔹 RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)
Used for automatic product tracking in supply chains.
Allows bulk scanning of goods without line-of-sight.
Helpful in warehouses, logistics, and after-sales servicing.

🔹 QR Codes & Barcodes
Printed directly on the product or packaging.
Customers and inspectors can scan to access product details instantly.
QR codes are widely used due to low cost and easy integration.

🔹 Secure Databases
Provides tamper-proof data storage for critical product information.
Ensures transparency, traceability, and trust across supply chains.
Helps combat counterfeiting and unauthorized modifications.

By: pang | Date: 27 Aug2025