A new era of packaging is coming: Starting in August 2026, the rules of the game will change. Are you ready for the digital product passport?

In just under two months, on 12 August 2026, the new EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) 2025/40 will enter into force across the entire European Union. This legislation brings a fundamental change to how packaging is designed, labeled, and placed on the market. For manufacturers and importers, this means that packaging will no longer be just a marketing carrier, but a regulated product with technical documentation. This change requires modern digital solutions. We are introducing a solution and a key tool for this transformation in the form of the Digital Product Passport (DPP).

New obligations for businesses: Stricter requirements for manufacturers and importers

Under the PPWR, from August 2026 economic operators may only place on the market packaging that fully complies with sustainability requirements.

Manufacturers: Have sole responsibility for carrying out the conformity assessment procedure. They must draw up detailed technical documentation (including a description of the packaging, conceptual design, test results, and recyclability assessments) and issue an EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC). They must also ensure the traceability of the packaging through identification numbers and their contact details.

Importers: Must verify that the non-EU manufacturer has properly carried out the conformity assessment and drawn up the technical documentation. Before placing the packaging on the market, they must indicate their identity on the packaging and ensure that storage conditions do not jeopardize the packaging's compliance with the regulations.

Demonstrating conformity

Conformity assessment is carried out according to the internal production control module. Under this module, the manufacturer declares on their own responsibility that the packaging meets the requirements of Articles 5 to 12 (substances in packaging, recyclability, recycled content, minimization, and labeling, etc.).

The EU Declaration of Conformity must be drawn up according to the template in Annex VIII and translated into all the official languages of the member states in which the packaging is made available.

Documentation must be archived for 5 years for single-use packaging and 10 years for reusable packaging.

The DPP solution: Efficiency, transparency, and compliance “in two clicks”

To meet these complex requirements without an extreme administrative burden, we offer the Digital Product Passport (DPP) platform as the ideal solution. Although the PPWR does not explicitly mandate a passport (it requires a digital data carrier), the DPP integrates all legislative requirements into one functional whole.

Key benefits of the Digital Product Passport:

1. Universal use within and outside the EU: A single digital passport (in the form of a QR code or a GS1 Digital Link data carrier) serves as a unified source of information for consumers, recyclers, and supervisory authorities across the entire Union.

2. Multilingual, with no printing costs: The passport viewer can display information in up to 28 languages. This means that consumers in any country will see the information in their native language, eliminating the need to print lengthy texts directly on the packaging.

3. Flexibility and ongoing updates: You can create a passport with the mandatory minimum of information (packaging identifier and manufacturer) and then add detailed data online about composition, recyclability, or PFAS tests. Data in the digital passport is updated centrally, without needing to change the label graphics or withdraw goods from shelves.

4. Declaration of Conformity in two clicks: The DPP platform includes a generator for the EU Declaration of Conformity under Articles 38 and 39. The system automatically creates the document in the correct format and in the required language versions, and securely stores it directly with the relevant product.

5. Controlled access to sensitive data: While consumers scanning the QR code will see sorting instructions, only the supervisory authority will see the detailed technical documentation and test reports in the passport.

The transition to the PPWR from 12 August 2026 is a challenge that the Digital Product Passport turns into a strategic advantage. Centralizing data, automating documentation, and communicating easily with consumers in their own language save both time and costs in ensuring compliance with the applicable legislation.

Start auditing your portfolio and preparing your first product passports today. For more information, contact us at dpp@asekol.sk or register directly on the platform asekol.dpp.gs

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