Nowadays, transparency and traceability of products have become major issues for consumers and companies. You’ve probably heard of the Digital Product Passport (DPP) before, but do you really know what it is and why it’s so important? The Digital Product Passport is an innovative concept that tracks the entire life cycle of a product, from manufacturing to end-of-life. Thanks to this technology, each product has a kind of digital identity card that can be accessed in a few clicks. If you want to know more, this article is for you.
What is the Digital Product Passport?
The digital product passport is a tool for collecting and sharing data about a product throughout its life cycle: its composition, its origin, its manufacturing process and even its recycling conditions. This technological innovation requires the assignment of a unique identifier for each product. Recorded data on products from across the supply chain is captured on the PLR and shared among a number of stakeholders and participants, unlocking value across entire ecosystems.
This concept was born out of the need to meet a growing demand for transparency and traceability in various sectors. With a digital passport, every step of a product’s lifecycle is documented and accessible to provide full visibility for consumers and businesses alike. For example, in the fashion industry, a digital passport can indicate the origin of materials, production conditions and organic or ethical certifications obtained as well as recycling indications.
Digital product passports often rely on advanced technologies like cryptography, blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT). Cryptography ensures the integrity and security of information, blockchain, version history, and IoT devices allow real-time tracking of product journeys.
Why is the digital product passport important?
For consumers, it represents a valuable source of information, allowing them to make informed decisions. Thanks to this passport, it is possible to know the origin of raw materials, manufacturing conditions and sustainability certifications of a product. This builds trust and satisfaction with customers who are able to transfer ownership or responsibility for the product.
On the business side, the digital product passport offers many advantages. It enables more efficient supply chain management, ensuring full traceability at every stage of the production process. This not only helps to ensure product quality, but also helps to combat counterfeiting, a growing problem in many industries. Transparency helps companies comply with regulations and meet consumer expectations for social and environmental responsibility.
From an environmental point of view, the digital product passport promotes better management of resources. By facilitating the recycling and reuse of materials, it contributes to the reduction of waste and promotes a circular economy.
How does the digital product passport work?
Le passeport numérique des produits repose sur une combinaison de technologies avancées pour garantir la traçabilité et la transparence. Voici comment cela fonctionne en pratique :
- Création et enregistrement : Chaque produit se voit attribuer un identifiant unique lors de sa fabrication. Cet identifiant est lié à un passeport numérique qui contient des informations détaillées sur le produit, telles que son origine, ses composants, les conditions de production et les certifications obtenues
- Technologies utilisées : Le passeport numérique utilise souvent des registres électroniques et l’Internet des objets (IoT). Les registres électroniques assurent l’enregistrement sécurisé des données. Chaque transaction ou modification des informations du produit est enregistrée sous forme séquentielle, rendant toute altération impossible. L’IoT, quant à lui, permet de suivre le produit en temps réel grâce à des capteurs et des dispositifs connectés
- Mise à jour continue : Tout au long de la chaîne d’approvisionnement, les informations du passeport numérique sont mises à jour en temps réel. Par exemple, lorsque le produit passe par différentes étapes de production ou de distribution, ces étapes sont enregistrées et ajoutées au passeport numérique. Cela peut inclure des données sur le transport, les conditions de stockage et les contrôles de qualité
- Accessibilité et utilisation : Les consommateurs et les entreprises peuvent accéder au passeport numérique d’un produit en scannant un QR code ou en utilisant une application dédiée. Ils pourront donc consulter toutes les informations disponibles, depuis les matières premières utilisées jusqu’aux recommandations de recyclage. Cette transparence aide les consommateurs à faire des choix éclairés et permet aux entreprises de prouver leur engagement en faveur de la durabilité
- Interconnectivité : Le passeport numérique peut également intégrer des informations provenant de différentes sources et plateformes pour créer un écosystème interconnecté où les données circulent librement et de manière sécurisée entre les différentes parties prenantes.
Use Cases in Different Industries
Food industry
In food, traceability guarantees the safety and quality of products. The digital passport allows each ingredient to be tracked from its source to the consumer’s plate. The digital passport of a bottle of fruit juice can indicate the origin of the fruit, the cultivation methods, the organic certifications and the production conditions. In the event of a problem, such as contamination, it becomes easier to work your way up the production line to quickly identify and resolve the root cause of the problem.
Fashion Industry
Fashion is another sector where transparency is increasingly in demand. Digital passports can provide information on the origin of materials, working conditions in factories, and sustainability practices. For example, a garment could have a digital passport detailing the type of fabric used, the factory where it was made, and the conditions of transport. This helps to combat counterfeiting and promote ethical consumption.
Electronics industry
Digital passports are also used in sectors such as automotive, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. In the automotive industry, they can track every part of a vehicle, ensuring efficient maintenance and optimal recall management. In the pharmacy, they can guarantee the traceability of medicines, from production to distribution, thus ensuring their authenticity and safety. In cosmetics, consumers are informed about the ingredients used and the tests carried out.
What are the challenges and prospects for the future of digital passports?
Despite its many advantages, the digital product passport faces several challenges. The first challenge is the cost of setting up the necessary infrastructure, including blockchain technologies and the Internet of Things (IoT). These technologies require substantial investment in terms of hardware, software and staff training. Adoption by businesses and consumers remains uneven. Some businesses, especially small and medium-sized ones, may be hesitant to adopt these systems due to cost and perceived complexity. There is also some resistance from consumers who may not be familiar with the use of these technologies.
Regulation is another major challenge. Laws and standards related to product traceability and transparency vary widely from country to country. This makes it difficult to adopt a globally standardized system.
However, the prospects for the future are promising. With the rapid evolution of technologies and an awareness of sustainability and transparency issues, the adoption of digital passports is expected to accelerate. Continuous technological innovation could reduce costs and simplify implementation. In the long term, the digital product passport could become a standard in all industries.
In conclusion
The digital product passport represents a major step towards greater transparency and traceability in various industries. Detailed information on the origin, composition and life cycle of products offers significant benefits for both consumers and businesses. Despite the current challenges of its adoption and implementation, the outlook for the future is encouraging. Ultimately, this system could transform the way we consume and manage resources for a more sustainable and responsible economy.
