Digital Product Passport: Affected companies, products & timeline 2025–2030

Find out which companies are affected by the Digital Product Passport, which product groups will be introduced first and how to prepare for the new EU requirements in the best possible way.

The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is developing into one of the most significant regulatory changes for manufacturing companies in Europe. With the new Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), the European Union is creating the basis for greater transparency along the entire value chain. In future, information on origin, materials, repairability, carbon footprint and recyclability is to be available digitally.

Many companies are currently asking themselves the same questions:

• Am I affected by the Digital Product Passport?
• Which products need a DPP?
• From when do the requirements apply?
• Which data needs to be prepared?

This article gives you an overview of the current timeline, the sectors affected and concrete recommendations for action.

What is the Digital Product Passport?

The Digital Product Passport is a digital data record that provides information about a product throughout its entire life cycle. The data is made accessible via a data carrier – for example a QR code or an NFC tag.

Depending on the product group, it may contain information such as:

• manufacturer information
• product identification
• material composition
• origin of critical raw materials
• carbon footprint
• energy consumption
• repair information
• spare parts
• safety information
• recycling and disposal instructions
• proof of conformity

The aim is to make the entire product life cycle more transparent and to promote the circular economy.

Why is the EU introducing the Digital Product Passport?

The Digital Product Passport is part of the European Green Deal.

The EU is pursuing several goals:

• longer product lifetimes
• greater repairability
• a more efficient circular economy
• lower resource consumption
• reduced CO₂ emissions
• better market surveillance
• greater transparency for consumers and companies

In future, the DPP is intended to serve as a central source of information along the supply chain.

Which companies are affected?

In principle, the Digital Product Passport affects almost all companies that manufacture or distribute products on the European market.

These include in particular:

Manufacturers

Manufacturing companies will have to provide the largest share of the data.

Importers

Importers are responsible for ensuring that imported products meet European requirements.

Distributors

Distributors must also ensure that products are available with the required information.

OEMs

Original equipment manufacturers must consolidate and provide data from their supply chain.

Suppliers

Much of the information comes from suppliers:

• material data
• origin
• CO₂ data
• certifications
• recycled content

As a result, almost all companies within a supply chain will be indirectly affected.

Which products are affected?

The Digital Product Passport will not be introduced for all products at the same time.

The ESPR provides for a step-by-step introduction by product group.

The prioritised groups include:

from 2027:

• batteries (under the Batteries Regulation)

in preparation:

• textiles
• furniture
• tyres
• steel
• aluminium

step by step:

• electronics
• household appliances

later:

• chemicals (in part)
• construction products (partly covered by their own sets of rules)

The specific date is set in each case via product-specific delegated acts. You can find these in our guide under Sources and documents.

What role does the Batteries Regulation play?

The Batteries Regulation is the first European regulation to explicitly require a mandatory Digital Product Passport.

From 18 February 2027, certain batteries must have a battery passport.

This applies in particular to:

• electric vehicle batteries
• industrial batteries
• batteries for light means of transport (LMT), where the statutory thresholds are met

Many of the technical requirements of the battery passport serve as a basis for future Digital Product Passports for other product groups.

Timeline: when is the Digital Product Passport coming?

In simplified terms, the current roadmap looks like this:

2024

• The ESPR enters into force.
• The foundations for the Digital Product Passport are laid.

2025

• Publication of the first ESPR working plan.
• Definition of priority product groups.
• Start of work on product-specific requirements.

2026

• Delegated acts for the first product groups are prepared.
• Companies begin pilot projects.

2027

• The battery passport becomes mandatory.
• Further initial DPP requirements may enter into force.

2028–2030

• Step-by-step introduction for further product groups.
• Expansion of the European DPP infrastructure.

We keep you up to date on this in our guide under EU regulation.