Digital Product Passport turns product data into a strategic discipline. The requirements come from the EU, but the value extends far beyond compliance. When product data is structured, documented, and accessible, it becomes easier to support traceability, sustainability, customer experiences, and digital business processes.
Digital Product Passport at Pico
At Pico, we see Digital Product Passport as yet another example of product data becoming increasingly important for modern organisations.
The upcoming requirements are largely about being able to document and share information at the product level. This is why work on DPP is closely connected to data quality, governance, product modelling, and the processes that ensure information remains accurate over time.
For many organisations, DPP is therefore not an isolated compliance project. It is a natural extension of the work to build a strong data foundation.
What is Digital Product Passport?
Digital Product Passport, often abbreviated as DPP, is an EU initiative designed to make product information accessible throughout the entire lifecycle of a product.
The idea is that each product receives a digital identity that can be accessed via, for example, a QR code. From there, relevant stakeholders can access information about the product's characteristics, composition, documentation, and traceability.
The goals include:
creating greater transparency around products
supporting the circular economy and recycling
improving traceability in value chains
making product information more accessible to customers, authorities, and partners
ensuring more consistent documentation across markets
The requirements will be introduced gradually and vary depending on product category and industry.
What does the legislation mean for organisations?
Although DPP is often described as a new digital product passport, the biggest challenge is rarely the technical solution.
For most organisations, preparation is about gaining an overview of their product data. The information often already exists in ERP systems, PIM solutions, product sheets, supplier data, or documentation systems.
The challenge is typically to ensure that data:
is structured
is accurate and up to date
can be documented
can be shared across systems
can be made available in the formats required by legislation
The earlier an organisation gets a handle on these areas, the easier it will be to meet the upcoming requirements.
Why is product data essential?
Digital Product Passport is fundamentally built on one prerequisite: that information can be linked to an individual product.
This makes product data the central point of focus.
Many organisations find that the necessary information already exists, but that it is spread across multiple systems and processes. When data needs to be consolidated, maintained, and shared, structure and governance become critical.
Typical challenges include:
data distributed across multiple systems
varying data quality across markets
lack of documentation of data sources
unclear ownership of information
manual processes around maintenance
DPP therefore often highlights the need for a more cohesive approach to product data.
Why is PIM a natural foundation for DPP?
For many organisations, a PIM system will be the most natural starting point for working with Digital Product Passport.
The legislation places requirements on information at the product level, and this is precisely the core of a PIM system.
When product data is gathered in one place, it becomes easier to:
maintain information on an ongoing basis
document data sources and changes
ensure consistency across markets
share data with customers, partners, and authorities
distribute information to digital channels
For organisations already working with PIM, DPP is therefore often about developing existing data models further rather than starting from scratch.
Pico's approach to DPP
At Pico, we see Digital Product Passport as a data challenge before it is a technology challenge.
Our role is to help organisations build the data foundation that makes it possible to meet requirements in a practical and long-term way.
The work typically includes:
assessment of existing product data
data modelling and structuring of information
governance and data ownership
integration between PIM, ERP, and other systems
quality assurance of product data
preparation for upcoming regulatory requirements
Once data is structured correctly, the technical part becomes relatively straightforward. Information can be published at a web address linked to the product and accessed via a QR code.
The biggest challenge therefore rarely lies in the QR code itself. It lies in the data that needs to be displayed, maintained, and documented behind it.
DPP and digital user manuals: a combined solution
For many organisations, the need for Digital Product Passport and digital user manuals arises at almost the same time. Both initiatives are about making product information accessible, up to date, and easy to find for customers, service partners, and authorities.
It therefore often makes sense to think about the solutions together.
At Pico, we help organisations bring product information together on a single digital product page, accessible via a QR code on the product. This gives users access to the information relevant to that specific product, without having to search across multiple systems or websites.
A combined solution can include, for example:
Digital Product Passport
digital user manuals
safety instructions
product certificates
technical data sheets
service and maintenance information
The solution can be built on the basis of existing systems and data sources. For some organisations, a PIM system will be the natural foundation. Others start from ERP, document management systems, or other platforms where product information is already maintained.
The goal is the same: to make product information easier to maintain for the organisation and easier to find for the user.
GS1 and common standards
When product information needs to be shared across organisations and value chains, common standards become important.
GS1 is already familiar to many organisations through barcodes, GTIN numbers, and standards for product identification. The same principles can help support work on Digital Product Passport.
Common standards contribute to:
unambiguous identification of products
easier exchange of data between organisations
better traceability through the value chain
more consistent handling of product information
For organisations, this means that work on DPP is not only about consolidating data, but also about making data usable outside their own organisation.
Connections to other areas
Digital Product Passport is closely connected to several of the areas Pico already works with:
PIM and product data modelling
data quality and data governance
ERP and integration architecture
e-commerce and customer portals
compliance and documentation requirements
AI-based use of structured product content
When product data becomes more structured and accessible, it creates value far beyond regulatory requirements. It provides a stronger foundation for digital customer experiences, internal processes, and future business initiatives.