DPP in e-commerce: what online sellers need to know

If you sell products online - whether through your own store or on marketplaces - the Digital Product Passport (DPP) will directly affect your business. EU regulations now require a growing number of products to carry a digital record of their composition, origin, and recyclability, accessible to consumers, regulators, and supply chain partners alike.

This article explains what DPP means specifically for e-commerce: from changes on product pages, through marketplace requirements, to practical steps you can take right now.

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Why DPP matters for e-commerce

The ESPR (Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation) is the legal foundation. Its core principle is straightforward: every regulated product must have a digital passport, regardless of whether it is sold in a physical store or online.

For e-commerce sellers, this means:

Product pages must link to the passport - consumers need access to DPP data before purchase.
Data must be current and machine-readable - a scanned PDF or static spec sheet is not enough.
The entity placing the product on the EU market bears responsibility - often the importer or the e-commerce seller themselves.

This is not a distant deadline. The first product categories fall under DPP requirements starting in 2027.

Which product categories come first

The DPP rollout follows a phased timeline. For e-commerce, the most relevant categories are:

Batteries and accumulators - DPP required from February 2027 under Regulation 2023/1542. Every industrial battery, EV battery, and portable battery above a certain capacity must carry a digital passport. If you sell electronics, power banks, or cordless tools, you are directly affected.

Textiles and apparel - a priority category under ESPR. The upcoming delegated act is expected to require DPP data covering composition, country of manufacture, carbon footprint, and care instructions.

Consumer electronics - smartphones, tablets, laptops. The EU wants consumers to know how long a device will receive updates, how repairable it is, and how to dispose of it responsibly.

Construction materials, furniture, cosmetics - further categories in the pipeline. Businesses in these sectors should monitor regulatory developments now.

What data must be in the product passport

DPP is not a single document - it is a standardised data set that varies by product category. For e-commerce sellers, the key data includes:

Product identification - unique identifier (e.g. GTIN), name, manufacturer, country of origin
Composition and materials - raw materials, hazardous substances, recycled content share
Environmental footprint - CO2 emissions, water use, energy class
Durability and repairability - expected lifespan, spare parts availability, repairability index
End-of-life instructions - disposal methods, recycling points, recoverable components
Regulatory compliance - CE declarations, certifications, test results

Data must be available in a machine-readable format (not a scanned PDF) and linked to the product identifier - typically via GS1 Digital Link.

How DPP changes the product page

The most visible change for shoppers will be new elements on every product listing:

A QR code or link to the digital passport - scanning or clicking opens the full product data record.
Key DPP data alongside the product description - energy class, repairability index, and carbon footprint may appear directly on the listing.
Regulatory compliance badges - building trust and differentiating from sellers who do not meet requirements.

In practice, DPP becomes a new UX element on product pages - much like energy labels did for household appliances. Sellers who adopt DPP early gain both a reputational and operational advantage.

What marketplaces will do - Amazon, Allegro, bol.com

Major platforms cannot ignore EU regulations. Here is what we know and what to expect:

Amazon already requires compliance declarations and regulatory documentation for many categories. Extending this to DPP is a natural next step. Amazon is testing product passport data integration within its catalogue systems.

Allegro, the largest marketplace in Poland, falls directly under EU regulations. Sellers can expect the platform to introduce DPP data fields in product listing forms - likely before the formal compliance deadline.

bol.com (Netherlands and Belgium) actively collaborates with GS1 Netherlands and operates in one of the markets where product data standardisation is most advanced.

Key takeaway: marketplaces will not wait until the last moment. Sellers who cannot provide DPP data may lose the ability to list products in regulated categories.

How to prepare as an e-commerce seller - 6 practical steps

1. Identify regulated products

Check which of your products fall into DPP-regulated categories (batteries, textiles, electronics). Conduct an assortment audit.

2. Map the data you already have

Most businesses already hold some of the required data - in PIM systems, ERP, or supplier spec sheets. Identify the gaps.

3. Engage your suppliers

DPP requires data from across the supply chain. If you source products from manufacturers outside the EU, start those conversations now.

4. Adopt a product identifier

If you are not already using GTIN (GS1 codes), now is the time. GS1 Digital Link is the preferred method for connecting an identifier to a digital passport.

5. Test a DPP solution

You do not have to wait for final legislation. Tools like myDPP let you generate a digital passport for selected products, test the integration with your product pages, and evaluate the customer experience.

6. Plan the integration with your sales platform

Contact the technical support of your marketplace or e-commerce platform (Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento) to learn about their DPP support roadmap.

PIM and ERP integration - the key to scaling

If you sell hundreds or thousands of products, creating digital passports manually is not feasible. This is where integrating DPP with your PIM and ERP systems becomes essential.

PIM (Product Information Management) is the natural source for product data - descriptions, attributes, media. Connecting PIM to a DPP platform lets you generate passports automatically from existing data.
ERP provides data on sourcing, production batches, certifications, and logistics - information required by DPP but rarely available in PIM.

myDPP offers ready-made integrations with popular systems - including SAP, Akeneo, Ergonode, and Pimcore - enabling automated passport creation for large product catalogues.

Frequently asked questions

Does DPP apply to small online shops too?

Yes. The regulation covers products, not business size. If you sell products in DPP-regulated categories on the EU market, you must provide a digital passport regardless of your scale.

Who is responsible for creating the DPP - the manufacturer or the seller?

Formally, responsibility lies with the entity placing the product on the EU market. In practice: if you import goods from outside the EU, you are responsible for the DPP. If you buy from an EU-based manufacturer, they should supply the passport - but it is worth establishing this contractually.

How much does it cost to implement DPP in an online store?

The cost depends on product count, data complexity, and level of automation. A small shop with a few dozen products can start with manual passport creation. For large catalogues, investing in PIM/ERP integration pays off. Platforms like myDPP offer flexible pricing plans scaled to your needs.

Can I start implementing DPP before the regulation takes effect?

Absolutely - and you should. Early adoption lets you test processes, fill data gaps, and build a competitive edge. Furthermore, consumers increasingly value transparency, so DPP can become a sales argument even before it is formally mandatory.

Summary

DPP in e-commerce is not a distant regulatory requirement - it is a change that starts now. Sellers who understand the requirements early, map their data, and test solutions will be better prepared than those who start reacting only at the deadline.

Key steps: audit your assortment, map your data, integrate with PIM/ERP, and choose a DPP platform. myDPP was built to make that process straightforward - even for businesses starting from scratch.