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Welcome to the DPP Digest! In this bi-weekly address, we fill you in on the latest updates from the world of Digital Product Passports.
So, what's been happening in the Digital Product Passport space recently?
1. The UK is exploring it's own version of the DPP...
The UK government (via the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade and the Department for Business and Trade) has run a call for evidence on a potential UK Digital Product Record (DPR) policy – essentially a UK equivalent of the EU DPP.
It sought views on the benefits, costs and practical implications of DPRs, the impact of existing requirements such as the EU DPP (which will apply in Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework), and whether a UK approach should align with international frameworks.
The call for evidence closed on 21 September 2026, and responses will be used to inform the design of any future UK DPR policy, with an anonymised summary of responses to be published on GOV.UK.
For businesses selling into both markets, the key question is whether the same product data can be reused across Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the EU.
2. The EmpCo Directive is now in force...
The EU’s Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (EmpCo) – Directive (EU) 2024/825 – took effect on 27 September 2026, tightening the rules on how businesses communicate environmental performance. It applies to any company marketing to EU consumers, including those headquartered outside the EU. Key changes include:
- Generic claims – broad terms such as “green”, “eco-friendly” or “sustainable” can no longer be used without substantiation
- Offset-based claims – “climate-neutral” or “CO₂-neutral” claims are banned where based solely on offsetting
- Sustainability labels – must be based on a third-party verified certification scheme or established by a public authority
- Future claims – claims about future environmental performance must be backed by an implementation plan
Bear in mind that the rules apply EU-wide from 27 September regardless of national transposition status, and cover claims on existing products as well as new ones.
With the proposed Green Claims Directive on hold, verifiable product-level data (such as that held in a DPP) will be increasingly important for substantiating environmental claims.
🔗 Find out what businesses need to know.
Other DPP news…
EU rules push Pakistan’s textile industry to upgrade
China explores battery passports as part of 2030 plan
DPPs mean a stronger EU single market
