{"id":12974,"date":"2026-04-27T01:21:02","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T05:21:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.packagingindustrynews.com\/?p=12974"},"modified":"2026-04-27T01:21:02","modified_gmt":"2026-04-27T05:21:02","slug":"eu-packaging-sector-prepares-for-digital-product-passport-rollout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.packagingindustrynews.com\/?p=12974","title":{"rendered":"EU packaging sector prepares for digital product passport rollout"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), packaging firms must provide structured machine-readable data on materials, recyclability and supply chain origins. \/ Credit: ImageFlow via Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

The European Union packaging sector is preparing for the introduction of digital product passports (DPPs), a new regulatory system designed to improve traceability, transparency and environmental reporting across supply chains.<\/p>\n

The initiative, part of the EU\u2019s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), will require structured digital data on materials, sourcing and lifecycle impacts to be linked to packaged products.<\/p>\n

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Although packaging is not among the first product groups to face mandatory implementation, companies across the sector are already adapting systems in anticipation of phased rollout beginning later in the decade.<\/p>\n

2026 standards phase<\/h2>\n

The first major milestone in the rollout of digital product passports is expected around 2026, when EU-level technical standards and digital infrastructure are due to be established.<\/p>\n

This phase focuses on creating a shared framework for how product and packaging data will be recorded and exchanged.<\/p>\n

The European Commission has described the system as a way to create \u201ca common digital language for product information across value chains\u201d, allowing data to be shared consistently between manufacturers, suppliers and recyclers.<\/p>\n

For packaging companies, this stage is largely preparatory. Firms are assessing how existing systems such as enterprise resource planning and product lifecycle management tools will need to be adapted to capture structured material and sustainability data.<\/p>\n

Supply chain data requirements<\/h2>\n

At the core of the digital product passport system is supply chain transparency. Packaging producers and brand owners will be required to gather and maintain detailed information on materials and environmental performance, including:<\/p>\n