New EU rules are about to put product transparency under the spotlight - and not every industry will have time on its side.
The Digital Product Passport (DPP), part of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), will require companies to share structured, traceable data on product origin, materials, environmental impact, and disposal. It’s set to become mandatory from 2026.
But the rollout won’t hit all sectors at once. Some will be first in line - and they’re running out of time to prepare.
Is your industry one of them? Read on to find out.
Digital Product Passport - What’s It All About?
At its core, the Digital Product Passport (DPP) is about making product information more transparent, accessible, and useful - not just for regulators, but for consumers, retailers, and everyone along the supply chain.
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Although the required information may differ, certain data points can be included across various product categories.
It’s a digital record that follows a product throughout its life, storing key data like where it came from, what it’s made of, how it was produced, and how it should be recycled or reused. Think of it like a digital ID card for every product, built to support smarter decisions, safer materials, and a cleaner, more circular economy. It must include machine-readable, interoperable, searchable, and standardised data - accessible via a physical data carrier like a QR code or RFID.
For businesses, this means embedding transparency deep into their operations, supported by systems like Bluestone PIM that can handle product data with speed, accuracy, and flexibility.
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Preparing for the Digital Product Passport Regulation
Is your business ready for the digital product passport (DPP) regulation? Our all-in-one guide breaks down everything you need to get yourself prepared.
Industries Most Affected — First in Line for Compliance
The EU has confirmed that the rollout will be phased by sector. Based on the current regulatory roadmap, which industries will be affected first by the digital product passport?
1. Textiles and Footwear
Garments and shoes are among the first categories targeted by the DPP. These sectors have long struggled with traceability - supply chains often span continents, involve multiple intermediaries, and rely on opaque sourcing. The DPP will introduce a standardised digital identity per product, making it easier to document material origins, production methods, repairability, and recyclability.
Companies will need to rethink how they collect, enrich, and share this data - not just internally, but across partners and platforms.
Note: Some categories, like automotive textiles and home furnishings, are currently out of scope but may follow later.
2. Electronics and ICT
Manufacturers of phones, computers, and consumer devices will face stricter rules on repairability and recyclability. DPP requirements will cover environmental data, energy use, hazardous materials, and detailed documentation for disassembly and disposal.
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3. Batteries
The spotlight is particularly strong on batteries used in electric vehicles, light transport, and industrial systems. Producers must capture detailed metrics on carbon footprint, material sourcing, and recycling pathways to meet circular economy goals.
4. Construction and Building Materials
Manufacturers of materials such as steel, aluminium, cement, and insulation products will need to supply data on emissions, composition, and end-of-life recovery. This sector will be expected to support new circular building standards through digital traceability.
5. Furniture and Mattresses
These high-volume, material-intensive products will be expected to meet transparency requirements covering component origin, durability, repairability, and end-of-life guidance.
Manufacturers will need to document reuse, refurbishment, and recyclability potential, which will require integrated data flows across suppliers, producers, and sales channels. A robust product information system will be essential for managing this level of complexity.
6. Detergents, Paints, Lubricants, and Chemicals
These product groups may carry environmental and health implications - making full ingredient transparency a key requirement.
For producers in this space, the DPP shifts compliance from a back-office function to a visible part of the product experience, shared with regulators, partners, and end-users alike.
7. Tyres
Tyres have been added to the ESPR priority list in response to concerns about microplastic emissions, wear-and-tear impacts, and low recycling rates. DPP for tyres will need to track product lifecycle details - from raw material sourcing to wear performance, recyclability, and disposal.
Manufacturers will be expected to provide verifiable data on environmental impact and sustainability performance throughout the supply chain.
8. Energy-related Products
Products used in construction - such as heaters, boilers, heat pumps, and ventilation systems - will be subject to new DPP obligations under the ESPR. Manufacturers will need to provide data demonstrating improvements in energy efficiency, carbon emissions, and environmental impact over the entire lifecycle.
These categories are key to achieving EU energy and climate goals, and DPP will help verify performance claims, support greener procurement, and enhance trust across B2B and B2C markets.
What’s Driving the Shift?
The DPP is part of a broader transformation. Climate change, resource scarcity, and supply chain complexity have made the case for sustainability irrefutable. But regulation alone isn’t the full picture.
Consumers now demand visibility. Retailers want trust in the brands they carry. Investors scrutinise environmental performance as closely as financial returns.
With 85% feeling the effects of climate change, nearly half of consumers are buying more sustainable products to reduce their impact, and over 80% say they’re willing to pay more for goods that are sustainably produced or sourced.
For many businesses, transparency will be the price of market access. And the Digital Product Passport is the mechanism.
But managing this volume of product data effectively - without adding friction to day-to-day operations - requires a dedicated PIM system.
Bluestone PIM: From Product Data to Strategic Readiness
Meeting DPP requirements won’t be a one-off project. It’s not about creating one document per product but rather building a dynamic, accurate, and extensible product data infrastructure.
Bluestone PIM, the first MACH-certified and AI-driven PIM solution, is uniquely positioned to support this shift. It enables companies to:
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Create a single source of truth for all product data, structured for both internal use and regulatory reporting.
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Capture detailed product attributes, including environmental impact, materials, origin, and compliance documents.
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Collaborate across teams and suppliers, ensuring input from design, procurement, compliance, and sustainability stakeholders.
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Adapt to new requirements via its modular architecture and open API design - critical as the DPP evolves.
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Localise and syndicate data across languages, markets, and channels, using AI-powered features like AI Linguist and AI Enrich.
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Prepare for omnichannel consistency, as DPP data becomes relevant across e-commerce, B2B platforms, QR-linked packaging, and more.
For businesses operating in complex ecosystems - like fashion brands selling across Europe, retailers, manufacturers, or construction suppliers - Bluestone PIM turns compliance into capability.
What Comes Next?
The DPP may begin as a regulatory requirement, but it doesn’t end there.
Industries already under pressure will need a clear strategy and the right tools to navigate this change. Bluestone PIM offers a foundation that meets today’s expectations and scales for tomorrow’s.
If you're in one of the first-wave industries, the time to act isn’t later - it’s now.
Schedule a meeting with our experts to explore how Bluestone PIM can help you get DPP-ready.
