A digital product passport is a web page with structured information about one physical product. A QR code or another data carrier on the product links to it. The EU’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) makes passports part of the rules for more and more product groups, so customers, repairers, recyclers and authorities can find reliable information without asking the brand.

What a passport contains

The exact contents depend on the product group. ESPR sets the framework, and a separate act for each product group lists the information that group must include. Across groups, passports tend to cover the same kinds of information:

  • what the product is made of, including materials and substances of concern;
  • where and by whom it was made;
  • how to use, care for, repair and dispose of it;
  • environmental information such as recycled content or a carbon footprint, where required;
  • declarations of conformity, certificates and other supporting documents.

Every passport also has a unique product identifier, so the information belongs to a specific model, batch or item, not to a whole brand.

Who sees what

A passport is not one public page with everything on it. ESPR allows information to be shared with different audiences. Consumers see what helps them choose, use and repair the product. Repairers, recyclers and authorities can get more detailed information, and some business information can stay confidential.

In DPP Ready, every field and document has a visibility setting: public, internal or hidden. Supplier details default to internal. You review the actual customer page before you publish.

How customers reach it

The passport is linked through a data carrier, usually a QR code on the product, its label or its packaging. Customers scan it with their phone camera and the page opens in the browser. No app or account is needed.

Because the QR code points to a permanent address, you can correct or extend the information after printing. Earlier published versions stay available in the passport history. If you use GTINs, a GS1 Digital Link QR code can carry your product identifier in the same code.

What a passport is not

A passport is not a certificate. Publishing one does not prove that a product complies with the law. It presents the information and evidence you are responsible for, in a form others can check.

It is also not a marketing page. Claims need evidence, and a passport is the place where vague claims stand out. Plain, verifiable statements work better.

Where to start

Start by checking when your product group is expected to need a passport. Then pick one product and collect its information. Your first published passport in DPP Ready is free, so you can see the result before deciding on the rest of your range.