Assessment of costs associated with enabling Digital Product Passports in the EU
Digital Product Passports (DPPs) will become a key part of the EU’s product sustainability framework, with mandatory requirements being introduced across product categories from February 2027. As businesses prepare for the transition, understanding the costs of implementation will be important to ensuring DPPs deliver value for money.
In this study, commissioned by Amazon, Oxera assesses the costs associated with implementing and operating DPPs in the EU. The analysis examines how these costs vary across firms and sectors, and the factors that influence them, including firm size, digital maturity, product complexity and supply-chain structures.
The findings show that SMEs and less digitally mature businesses are likely to face relatively higher costs. However, firms can take steps to manage these, including using existing digital systems, third-party solutions and shared industry infrastructure. The study also highlights how proportionate requirements, regulatory clarity and common standards can help reduce the burden on businesses.
The study considers the balance between the costs and potential benefits of DPPs, and sets out recommendations for the European Commission to help ensure that future requirements are practical, proportionate and deliver value for money.
