As part of the EU Green Deal and its Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP), the Digital Product Passport (DPP) serves as a digital identity card for products, containing verified data about their origin, materials, carbon footprint, durability, and recyclability, among other information. Beginning in 2027, with industries like batteries, textiles, and electronics, companies selling in the EU will be legally required to implement these passports.

But the Digital Product Passport (DPP) is far more than a compliance obligation—it is a driver of accountability, accessibility, sustainability, and competitiveness, enabling transparent supply chains, empowering consumers, and fostering circular business models. To fully unlock its potential DPP data must be multilingual, inclusive, and accessible, which is why partnering with experts in translation and accessibility services will be critical for businesses aiming to stay compliant and competitive.

Contents

What Is a Digital Product Passport (DPP)?

A Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a digital identity for a product. It contains essential lifecycle information such as the origin of raw materials, the product’s carbon footprint, its environmental impact, safety certifications, and instructions for recycling or reuse. In simple terms, a Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a standardized digital file that travels with a product to make its entire journey—production, use, and end-of-life—transparent and traceable.

How Does a Digital Product Passport (DPP) Work?

DPPs work by linking physical products to digital data carriers. These carriers—such as QR codes, RFID tags, or barcodes—are placed directly on the product or packaging. When scanned with a smartphone or reader, they give access to detailed product information. Some data is public (for consumers, like sustainability credentials or recycling guidelines), while other data is restricted (for regulators, suppliers, or partners in the value chain). This ensures that every stakeholder gets accurate, role-specific information in real time.

Why Is the Digital Product Passport Important?

The DPP is part of the European Union’s strategy for sustainability and the circular economy. It stems from key initiatives like the European Green Deal, the Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP), and the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). The purpose is clear: make sustainable products the norm in Europe. By requiring companies to share verified data on how products are made, used, and recycled, DPPs combat greenwashing, support circular business models, and simplify compliance with EU regulations.

Over the next few years, DPPs will become mandatory in several industries, starting with batteries (2027), textiles, electronics, and construction materials. Any company—inside or outside the EU—that wants to sell in the European market will need to implement a Digital Product Passport.

Digital Product Passport (DPP) Benefits: Accountability, Accessibility, Sustainability, and Competitiveness

How Do Digital Product Passports Improve Accountability?

One of the main goals of the Digital Product Passport (DPP) is to strengthen accountability in supply chains. By recording verifiable lifecycle data—such as material origin, environmental footprint, and compliance certificates—companies can prove their sustainability claims with evidence. This transparency is critical to combat greenwashing and to build consumer trust. When all actors in the value chain contribute accurate data, the DPP becomes a single, reliable source of truth that regulators, businesses, and consumers can consult.

Why Is Accessibility a Key Part of the DPP?

For a DPP to deliver real impact, it must be accessible to all stakeholders: consumers, suppliers, regulators, and recyclers. Accessibility goes beyond technology—it means that information must be available in multiple languages, easy to understand, and compatible with assistive technologies like screen readers. This ensures inclusivity for people with different levels of digital literacy or disabilities. Without translation and accessibility, the DPP risks excluding audiences and failing its purpose of transparency and trust.

How Do Digital Product Passports (DPP) Contribute to Sustainability?

The sustainability impact of DPPs is profound. By making data on durability, recyclability, and environmental performance available, DPPs enable companies to design better products, foster reuse, and reduce waste. This supports the EU’s ambition to move towards a circular economy, where resources are kept in use for longer, and business models such as repair, remanufacturing, and product-as-a-service become more viable. In other words, DPPs transform sustainability from a vague promise into a measurable practice.

How Does Compliance Strengthen Competitiveness?

The DPP will be a compliance requirement under EU law. Each product placed on the EU market will need a unique identifier registered in the central EU database, with data updated throughout its lifecycle. While this may seem like a regulatory burden, compliance brings a competitive advantage: companies that adapt early can streamline audits, improve quality control, and position themselves as leaders in sustainable innovation. Ultimately, compliance with the Digital Product Passport is also a path to greater competitiveness in the European Single Market.

Digital Product Passport (DPP) Compliance Checklist: Translation and Accessibility Actions

Why Is Multilingual Documentation Mandatory for Digital Product Passports (DPP)?

One of the most immediate requirements of the Digital Product Passport (DPP) is that information must be available across all EU market languages. This includes details on materials, origin, manufacturing processes, safety, carbon footprint, and recyclability. To meet compliance standards and avoid penalties, businesses will need certified translations of critical content such as user manuals, repair guides, maintenance instructions, and recycling guidelines. Without multilingual documentation, companies risk excluding consumers and failing to meet EU transparency requirements.

How Should Companies Provide Accessible and Multilingual Labeling?

The DPP relies on identifiers like QR codes, RFID, or NFC tags, which link to product information. For compliance, this digital content must be translated into multiple languages and presented in formats that support accessibility. Companies will need to ensure compatibility with screen readers, alt text, and easy-to-read versions to accommodate users with different literacy levels or disabilities. By making labeling both multilingual and accessible, businesses guarantee that the DPP can be used inclusively across the European Single Market.

What Does Cross-Border Regulatory Compliance Require?

Because the DPP is anchored in EU regulations such as the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), companies must adapt their technical terminology to align with evolving standards and delegated acts. This includes translating conformity declarations and registering entries in the official EU product passport register. High-quality legal and technical translation is critical here: even minor errors could create compliance risks or cause delays in market approval.

How Can Companies Communicate Effectively Across the Value Chain?

The DPP requires coordination across manufacturers, suppliers, importers, recyclers, and regulators. To function effectively, this collaboration depends on clear multilingual communication. Companies will need translations of contracts, data-sharing agreements, and technical documentation. Consistent language support ensures that all actors in the value chain, national authorities, industry associations, and EU institutions can contribute to and access accurate DPP data.

Why Must Digital Product Passport Platforms Be Multilingual and Accessible?

Many companies will implement digital platforms to manage and display DPP data. These platforms must be localized into multiple languages so that both consumers and supply chain partners can navigate them effectively. Just as importantly, they must comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to ensure that users with disabilities can access the information without barriers. Accessibility and localization are not optional add-ons—they are compliance requirements that directly impact usability.

How Should Businesses Handle Consumer and Aftermarket Communication?

The DPP extends beyond compliance into consumer empowerment. Interactive digital manuals, repair guides, how-to videos, and even audio descriptions all form part of the passport’s promise to inform end users. To maximize impact, this content must be translated and localized for different markets. Companies should also consider inclusive formats such as plain language, easy-to-read versions, and even sign language translations, ensuring that consumers can make safe, sustainable, and informed decisions.

How Does Translation Support Sustainability and CSR Reporting?

The data collected in DPPs will feed directly into environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting. Translating this data into sustainability reports is essential for multinational businesses operating across multiple EU markets. Beyond raw compliance, companies can adapt this content into culturally relevant storytelling that highlights their commitment to circularity, traceability, and ethical practices. This not only meets regulatory obligations but also strengthens brand reputation in diverse markets.

Ensure your Digital Product Passport is not just compliant, but truly usable

Translation, localization, and accessibility are essential to making the Digital Product Passport usable, understandable, and compliant across all EU languages and for every stakeholder, from consumers to regulators. Companies that invest early in professional language solutions will not only ensure compliance but also gain a competitive advantage in Europe’s new sustainable market.

Ensure your Digital Product Passport is not just compliant, but truly usable. With Win & Winnow’s translation and accessibility solutions, your product data becomes multilingual, inclusive, and ready for every stakeholder across the EU market. Let’s chat!