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Guide

Preparing for the Digital Product Passport in Italy

Digital Product Passport

The Digital Product Passport (DPP) will reshape how products are documented across the European Union, and Italian merchants will be no exception. The DPP comes from the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2024/1781, the ESPR), which is directly applicable in Italy. As a result, the core obligations are the same for an Italian shop as for shops elsewhere in the EU. The Italy-specific dimension lies in enforcement and in the language of consumer information.

This guide is for merchants based in Italy or shipping into the Italian market. It covers what a DPP is, the indicative timeline, and the practical steps you can start on now. For the EU-wide picture, see our DPP law overview and the complete DPP guide.

What the Digital Product Passport is

A DPP is a machine-readable record linked to a product and accessed through a data carrier — usually a QR code on the product, its packaging or a label. Scanning it opens information about the product’s composition, materials, sustainability characteristics, reparability, and recycling at end of life. The goal is transparency and a stronger circular economy.

For an Italian merchant, the DPP is chiefly a data challenge. Producing the QR code is easy; the real work is collecting dependable information from your suppliers and presenting it consistently in a digital record that customers and authorities can rely on.

Timing: a staged rollout by product group

The ESPR entered into force on 18 July 2024, but the DPP does not apply to all products simultaneously. It arrives through delegated acts targeting specific product groups. On indicative timing, batteries lead the way with a battery passport expected from around 18 February 2027, and textiles and iron and steel are among the early-priority groups from roughly 2027 onwards. These dates are indicative and hinge on the delegated acts being finalised.

Italy’s strengths in fashion, textiles and steel mean several early groups are directly relevant to Italian sellers. Map your own catalogue against the emerging schedule using our DPP timeline tool to see where you sit.

The Italian context: authority and language

The DPP rules are set at EU level but enforced by national market-surveillance authorities. In Italy, market surveillance is carried out by established national bodies that verify products placed on the market. Understanding which authority is relevant to your product category tells you who might request access to your passport data.

Language is the clearest Italian specific. Consumer-facing information for products sold in Italy is generally expected in Italian. When you plan the content behind your QR code, budget for accurate Italian-language versions of the human-readable elements rather than relying on English alone.

Practical steps Italian shops can take now

1. Find your early-affected products

Textiles, batteries and steel-related goods lead the rollout. Given Italy’s manufacturing profile, many sellers will find products in these early groups. Treat them as your priority.

2. Work with your suppliers on data

Most passport data comes from upstream. Begin asking manufacturers and distributors whether they can supply structured composition, sustainability and reparability information, or a ready-made data carrier.

  • Identify which suppliers are EU manufacturers and which are importers.
  • Ask who will provide the DPP data or carrier for each product.
  • Record where DPP responsibility lies along each supply chain.

3. Plan the QR code and its display

Decide where the data carrier will appear on your products or packaging and how it will show in your online listings. Clear, scannable placement serves Italian customers and any reviewing authority.

4. Assign ownership

Name a person or team to follow the delegated acts, gather supplier data, and keep Italian-language content accurate. Early ownership makes the eventual deadline far less stressful.

Where Italian sellers should focus

If your catalogue includes textiles or steel-related products, assume you are near the front of the queue and start gathering supplier data now. For broader Italian selling obligations, see our Italy country hub.

Italy’s textile and steel strengths put many sellers in the early DPP groups. Start your supplier-data work now and prepare Italian-language content in parallel.

This article is educational and does not constitute legal advice; consult a qualified professional for guidance on your specific situation.