DIGITRACE has published Deliverable D3.1 - Digital Tools Evaluation Report for DPP Compliance, providing a comprehensive overview of the digital technology landscape supporting Digital Product Passport (DPP) implementation, supply chain traceability and sustainability compliance.
Developed within Work Package 3, the report evaluates 30 digital platforms across five priority sectors - automotive, agriculture, textiles, plastics and food. Six platforms were assessed in each sector against a common framework covering functional capabilities, technical architecture and interoperability, SME accessibility, and strategic suitability for DPP implementation.
30 platforms - different roles in the DPP ecosystem
The analysis shows that a Digital Product Passport cannot be viewed as a single software solution. Instead, DPP implementation depends on an ecosystem of technologies connecting product information, supply-chain data, identifiers, compliance records and physical products.
The evaluated solutions were grouped according to three main roles:
8 DPP Issuers, focused on creating and managing product passports;
8 Trace Engines, supporting supply-chain and chain-of-custody traceability;
14 Data Enablers, providing data, integration, sustainability or interoperability capabilities needed by DPP systems.
The report finds that the market is developing rapidly but remains fragmented, with no single architecture or platform currently able to address every sector and use case. Cloud-based SaaS solutions are the most common model, alongside blockchain-enabled platforms, digital identity technologies, APIs and middleware, data spaces, IoT solutions and different physical data carriers such as QR codes, NFC and RFID.
The biggest challenges are not only technological
One of the report’s most important findings is that the main barriers to DPP adoption for SMEs are often organisational and competency-related rather than purely technological.
Across the five sectors, recurring challenges include insufficient or inconsistent supplier data, difficulties integrating new platforms with existing ERP, PLM and other business systems, limited knowledge of data standards, interoperability gaps and the ongoing effort required to maintain product and compliance information.
The evaluation also highlights interoperability as a key unresolved challenge. While relevant standards and technical approaches already exist, consistent exchange of DPP information between different platforms is still developing. The report therefore points to open standards, data portability and compatibility with existing SME systems as important considerations when selecting future DPP solutions.
What does this mean for DIGITRACE?
The findings provide an important evidence base for the next stages of the DIGITRACE project. Rather than identifying one universal platform, the report demonstrates that technology choices must reflect the sector, company role, existing systems and specific compliance requirements.
For SMEs, successful DPP implementation will therefore require more than choosing the right software. Companies will also need practical capabilities in data governance, supplier data management, standards and identifiers, system integration and regulatory compliance. These findings will directly inform the development of DIGITRACE training activities, tools and support resources for SMEs.
The report concludes that the DPP technology ecosystem is moving in a clear direction, but SMEs will need both appropriate digital solutions and the skills to use them effectively in order to turn future DPP requirements into practical and sustainable business processes.
Read the full Deliverable D3.1 - Digital Tools Evaluation Report for DPP Compliance:
Download the report