What is a Digital Product Passport?
A Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a digital record containing key information about a product’s composition, origin, and lifecycle. Think of it like an item’s official "papers” that follow it from production to purchase to eventual disposal. Under this landmark European Union legislation, companies selling products in Europe will need to collect and share detailed data on an item’s verified sustainability attributes.
Businesses can provide this Digital Product Passport by attaching a physical “data carrier” to each product, linking the physical item to its “digital twin” in the cloud. While the DPP's framers have not yet required a specific type — or types — of data carrier, it could take the form of a QR code, RAIN RFID tag, or another digital identifier.
A paradigm shift toward transparency and sustainability
By revealing the history and environmental impact of individual products, Digital Product Passports will:
- Enable consumers to make more informed purchasing decisions based on easily accessible product information
- Unlock new efficiencies across supply chains and manufacturing, thanks to enhanced product data visibility
- Serve as the information backbone of the global circular economy, facilitating recycling and reuse
- Pave the way for a greener, more ethical future in which sustainability is a top priority
Keep up with the latest news and updates by subscribing to our DPP newsletter.
FAQ about Digital Product Passports
The “economic operator” placing the product on the EU market will be responsible for ensuring their products have valid DPPs. This includes European manufacturers and retailers, and even non-European organizations that export products to the EU.
By using a smartphone to scan a digital identifier — for instance, a QR code printed on or attached to a product — a consumer will be directed to the product’s associated DPP in the cloud, where they can view data such as the materials used, ownership history, and recycling instructions. QR codes can be combined with technology like RAIN RFID, which additionally provides enterprises with powerful supply chain visibility and business insights.
The European Commission has identified several product categories — end-use products as well as materials and components — that will be subject to DPP regulations, with flexibility to expand. The first categories to require DPP compliance include batteries, textiles, iron and steel, aluminum, furniture, tires, detergents, paints, lubricants, chemicals, and electronics.
The DPP rollout will be gradual, progressively encompassing more product categories, but there are several critical milestones ahead. Digital Product Passport requirements are expected by 2027 in key sectors like textiles, metals, and batteries. Read the Impinj blog for details on key implementation deadlines and subscribe for future updates.
While no technology has been mandated, retailers can get a head start on preparing for Digital Product Passports by implementing a RAIN RFID solution. By tagging every product with a small RAIN RFID tag, retailers can create digital twins for every item they sell and collect the data required for Digital Product Passports across the entire supply chain.
How RAIN RFID enables Digital Product Passports — and beyond
Meet Digital Product Passport data requirements
RAIN RFID solutions enable organizations to track granular product information and create a digital twin for every tagged item, supporting compliance with DPP regulations.
Gain real-time item visibility throughout the supply chain
Individual items tagged with RAIN RFID can be identified and tracked in real time as they move from manufacturing to distribution to store shelves, providing actionable business insights.
Drive efficiencies that reduce environmental impacts
With item-level supply chain visibility and insights, suppliers and retailers can streamline operations, reduce excess inventory, cut back on waste, and curtail deliveries and returns to minimize pollution.
Support circular business models and sustainability
RAIN RFID's robust lifecycle tracking capabilities enable organizations to prioritize and facilitate recycling and reuse programs, empowering consumers to make informed purchasing decisions.
Unlock new levels of customer engagement
In addition to providing product transparency to consumers, RAIN RFID can facilitate automated self-checkout, omnichannel fulfillment, and more in-demand customer experiences.
Protect brands and build consumer trust
Product authentication solutions built with RAIN RFID can automatically verify items as they travel through various points in a supply chain, preventing counterfeits from ever reaching consumers.
FAQ about RAIN RFID
RAIN RFID is a passive, battery-free wireless technology that allows retailers to track, locate, and identify every tagged item quickly and accurately, bringing powerful insights and real-time visibility to inventory and operations with near-100% accuracy. RAIN can identify up to 1,000 items per second, does not require line-of-sight to read tagged items, and can read tags at close range or from a distance. It is the fastest growing segment of the RFID market and uses a single, global standard: UHF Gen 2 (ISO/IEC 18000-63).
In RAIN RFID systems, the reader and reader antenna send a radio signal to the tag, which consists of a battery-free tag chip and an antenna. The RFID tag uses the transmitted signal to power on and reflect energy back to the reader. The reader then reads the information encoded to the tag and stores it either locally or in a cloud-based application.
The European Commission has yet to select any technologies as mandated data carriers for the Digital Product Passport initiative, and different product categories are likely to have different requirements. Future product-specific legislation will decide if barcodes, QR codes, RAIN RFID, NFC, or a combination of those may be required. Each data carrier has advantages and disadvantages; see the comparison chart below.
Yes, RAIN RFID offers retailers comprehensive product-tracking and data-recording capabilities. RAIN RFID solutions can be integrated with consumer-readable technologies like QR codes or NFC to share product information with everyday shoppers. Additionally, RAIN RFID offers retailers numerous benefits beyond Digital Product Passport compliance, such as omnichannel fulfillment, automated self-checkout, loss prevention, real-time inventory visibility, and much more.
Impinj is a leading RAIN RFID provider and IoT pioneer. Using RAIN RFID, the Impinj platform lays a foundation for developing IoT solutions that connect physical items to the cloud, enabling enterprises to analyze, optimize, and virtualize every thing. Check out Impinj Insights to learn how other enterprises are transforming their businesses with RAIN RFID, and reach out to Impinj to get started on your RAIN RFID journey.
Comparing potential Digital Product Passport data carriers
RAIN RFID gives retailers the ability to track every product and record its history, and can be used alongside QR codes, NFC, or other data carriers to engage with consumers. But RAIN RFID enables enterprises to do much more beyond tracking information needed for Digital Product Passports, such as enhanced inventory management, automated self-checkout, and supply chain automation.
Get ahead of the curve and transform your business
Get in touch with Impinj about implementing a RAIN RFID system today
Speak with a RAIN RFID ExpertGet the latest DPP updates delivered straight to your inbox
Digital Product Passports in the news
What is a Digital Product Passport and How Does It Affect Me?
Learn about the European Union's Digital Product Passport initiative and where RAIN RFID fits in the big picture.
Learn more
How Retailers Can Prepare for Digital Product Passports with RFID
Retailers should begin getting ready now for the landmark Digital Product Passport legislation in Europe. Here’s how savvy retailers can get a head start with RAIN RFID.
Learn more
Learn More About RAIN RFID in Retail
The retail industry is changing — fast. RAIN RFID solutions enable the digital transformation that’s necessary for retailers to keep up and gain an edge on the competition.
Learn more