Transparency for the consumer.
As part of the EU’s Ecodesign Regulation, the Digital Product Passport (DPP) is intended to promote sustainable business practices and, above all, to increase transparency regarding factors such as a product’s material composition, resource requirements, and environmental impacts. To achieve this, a digital infrastructure must be established, and products must be equipped with uniquely identifiable and scannable data carriers—such as QR codes. This will allow consumers to access information about relevant product characteristics directly at the point of purchase. At the same time, the available data could also be used in the long term to optimize circular processes, for example through improved assessment and sorting of materials.
However, the first mandatory implementation of the DPP does not apply to packaging, but rather to batteries, for which a digital battery passport will be introduced starting in 2027. Other product groups are to follow gradually. There is currently no general requirement for packaging. Nevertheless, the issue is gaining importance in the packaging industry as well, as the PPWR is placing increasingly higher demands on transparency, recyclability, and traceability. And even if the introduction of digital product information initially sounds like it will entail additional effort for manufacturers and brands, when used correctly, the DPP can also offer added value in the long term. In addition to regulatory information, digital platforms will also be able to provide supplementary content such as proof of origin, product information, or services for consumers in the future. Transparency will thus not only become a legal requirement but can also be leveraged as part of brand communication.
Companies to watch:
We are already moving toward these new requirements and, together with our partners at Info.link, are providing a solution that combines mandatory and optional information. Info.link offers a flexible platform where mandatory and supplementary information can be displayed digitally—and we help ensure that the packaging artwork is expanded to include access to digital information in a way that is practical, legally compliant, and visually appealing.
Consumers can easily access relevant information via a QR code—and manufacturers are already laying the groundwork for a more transparent and circular future for packaging.