The government is seeking evidence from businesses, importers and exporters on digital product records.
Most DPR’s exist to store product information that is easily accessible to the public or anyone who needs to check up on information. The most well-known version is the EU’s Digital Product Passport (DPP).
This call for evidence aims to gather stakeholder views on digital product record (DPR) policy.
DPP explained
In 2024, the EU launched its Digital Product Passport (DPP) as part of their wider Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation.
The regulation requires industry actors to provide “comprehensive information” about each product’s origin, materials, environmental impact and disposal recommendations using a DPP.
In July, the European Commission announced that the Digital Product Passport Registry went live, describing this as an “important milestone” in making the DPP a reality.
In the UK, the DPP will apply in Northern Ireland under the terms of the Windsor Framework. The first of the mandatory requirements are expected to enter force in 2027, and the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) is now considering the UK’s approach to DPR.
Consultation launched
The government is now seeking whether a UK DPR policy could “could be used to streamline the provision of a range of product information for businesses, while enhancing transparency and traceability for consumers and Market Surveillance Authorities.”
“This forms part of a wider aim to understand where benefits can be delivered to UK businesses and consumers through digitalisation of compliance processes.”
DPRs are being explored internationally as a means of providing product information and sustainability data across supply chains and the UN is supporting the global development of DPRs.
Ilona Kawka, senior digital trade and customs consultant at the Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade, said the consultation was businesses' chance to "to make the case that the UK's digital product record policy must be designed alongside the EU DPP regime".
"Additional complicated divergence implemented later will heavily impact and add even more implementation costs, which ultimately will be moved to the consumers. Lack of compliance with the EU DPP could ultimately mean losing access to the EU market for many UK manufacturers, but not only manufacturers.
"Businesses need to help the government with their feedback to create a policy that will deliver transparency and traceability without further cost and complexity stacking."
BIST is inviting views on DPRs in general, the impacts of existing DPR policies, and what the UK should consider when developing domestic policy on DPRs for goods.
Government consultations form a key part of the evidence-making procedures.
Chartered Institute members are also urged to provide feedback directly to Ilona Kawka by emailing Ilona.kawka@export.org.uk. This will help us understand our member’s points of view and support the development of the Chartered Institute’s own response.
