The Digital Product Passport – why Companies Cannot Manage without a PIM/DAM System
PRODUCT EXPERIENCE MANAGEMENT
The demands on product data are constantly increasing – and with the Digital Product Passport (DPP), this topic reaches a new dimension. From 2026, the Digital Product Passport will be mandatory in the EU for numerous product categories. The goal is to make information about materials, manufacturing, use, and recycling available throughout the entire product lifecycle.
This means: companies must create transparency and be able to provide complete, up-to-date, and correct data at all times. However, many fail precisely because their information is fragmented across various systems. The solution: PIM and DAM systems as a central data basis.
What is the Digital Product Passport?
The Digital Product Passport is a kind of electronic information file that accompanies a product throughout its entire lifecycle. It includes, among other things:
- Manufacturing information
- materials and components used
- Energy and resource data
- Repairability and recyclability
- Certificates, labels, and proofs
The legal basis is the Ecodesign Regulation (ESPR), which was adopted as part of the EU Green Deal. The goal is to promote sustainable consumption, enable a circular economy, and increase ecological transparency for consumers and authorities.
In short: the Digital Product Passport becomes a central information tool for sustainability and product transparency.
Challenges for Companies
As useful as the Digital Product Passport is, its implementation is a major effort for many companies.
- Data Variety
Product data is scattered across ERP systems, Excel spreadsheets, or supplier portals. A consistent data overview is missing. - Complexity
Each product category has its own requirements: A textile product requires different information than an electrical appliance or a medical device. - Data Quality
Incomplete or contradictory data poses a compliance risk. For the Product Passport, all information must be complete and correct. - Continuous Maintenance
Data changes – new suppliers, altered materials, new regulations. A Product Passport is not a one-time
document, but must be regularly updated. - Internationality
Products are often present in multiple markets. All data must be available in multiple languages and consistently maintained.
PIM/DAM as the Key to the Digital Product Passport
A Product Information Management (PIM) and a Digital Asset Management (DAM) offer the ideal foundation to meet the requirements of the Digital Product Passport.
- Single Source of Truth
All product information is centrally collected and maintained. This prevents redundancies and inconsistencies. - Attribute Management
Mandatory fields for the Product Passport can be defined in the PIM. This ensures that no data record is published without the required information. - Versioning & Audit Trails
Every change to product data is documented – who, when, what was changed. This is essential for compliance and traceability. - Integration into System Landscapes
PIM/DAM systems can be linked with ERP, CRM, supplier databases, and sustainability platforms. This way, information flows together automatically. - Multilingualism
Mandatory information can be centrally maintained and automatically distributed to all relevant language versions. - Document Management in DAM
Safety data sheets, certificates, or recycling instructions can be stored directly with the product and linked to the corresponding attributes.
The result: A complete, reliable, and up-to-date Digital Product Passport – without manual paperwork.
Practical Examples & Scenarios
What does this look like in practice?
- Electrical Appliances
Energy consumption, repairability, and recycling information are maintained in the PIM and automatically transferred to the Product Passport. - Textiles
Material origin, care instructions, and sustainability labels are consistently maintained and provided in multiple languages. - Chemicals & Pharma
Safety data, disposal instructions, and compliance documents are centrally stored and accessible at all times.
In all cases: companies benefit from time savings, data consistency, and compliance security.
Conclusion:
The Digital Product Passport will become mandatory from 2026 and is therefore no longer a “nice to have,” but a regulatory necessity. Companies that invest early in their data quality have a clear advantage – not only to comply with laws, but also to offer transparency to customers and partners.
With the OMN platform from apollon, companies have a powerful tool at their disposal to centrally manage, validate, and automatically distribute Product Passport data. Thus, the Digital Product Passport does not become a burden, but
a competitive advantage.
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