Prevent Greenwashing with the EU’s Digital Product Passport
Prevent Greenwashing with the EU’s Digital Product Passport
Brands are trying to prevent greenwashing with the EU’s Digital Product Passport because it’s built on the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and offers a clear, reliable way to prove sustainability claims.
Consumer demand is increasingly growing towards ethical shopping, and brands are bound to prove their sustainability claims. But often, these claims aren’t true. Companies that make vague or misleading environmental statements, known as “greenwashing,” are not only acting unethically but are also facing increased legal scrutiny, particularly with the introduction of stricter EU regulations.
Digital Product Passports (DPPs) offer a solution for enhanced transparency, traceability, and regulatory compliance since it is designed to comply with all the barriers towards green claims.
Why Greenwashing Is a Growing Risk
Greenwashing is becoming a critical liability for companies as environmental claims face mounting scrutiny from regulators, investors, and consumers alike. With the rise of ESG reporting standards, upcoming legislation such as the EU Green Claims Directive, and enforcement actions under the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, sustainability is no longer a soft branding tool; it’s a compliance issue.
If a business makes environmental claims that aren’t true or can’t be proven, they risk ruining their reputation, facing legal trouble, and losing the trust of everyone involved. As people expect more and more solid, data-backed proof, companies that can’t back up their sustainability talk are going to fall behind or, even worse, get called out.
How Digital Product Passports Prevent Greenwashing
A Digital Product Passport (DPP) includes details such as its materials, manufacturing location and process, repair and recycling instructions, and environmental impact. The goal of a DPP is to provide accessible and reliable information to encourage product longevity, reusability, and reduce environmental damage, benefiting businesses, regulators, and consumers.
Once implemented through the ESPR, the DPP will be mandatory for several product categories sold in the EU. What makes it powerful is its ability to tie sustainability claims directly to source data. That connection limits room for greenwashing and helps businesses meet growing disclosure requirements with confidence.
How Digital Product Passports (DPPs) Combat Greenwashing
DPPs are crucial in preventing greenwashing by offering several advantages:
- Real product-level data
Instead of relying on generic marketing claims, the DPP includes specific details: material origins, carbon footprint, and end-of-life instructions.
- Framework for compliance
As part of the ESPR, DPPs are built to support alignment with EU sustainability legislation, including the Green Claims Directive.
- Verification of claims
Sustainability messaging can be traced back to verifiable data, reducing the risk of vague or exaggerated environmental claims.
- Supply chain transparency
Manufacturers, retailers, and consumers access the same dataset, minimising inconsistencies and selective reporting.
- Supports compliance across legislation
Enables brands to meet requirements under the Green Claims Directive and other EU regulatory frameworks focused on truthful environmental labeling.
- Strengthens brand credibility
Transparent disclosure builds trust with stakeholders, investors, and end users ,making green marketing more accountable and resilient.
Final Thoughts
The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is crucial for businesses as regulations like the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and Green Claims Directive demand greater transparency and sustainability. It is a centralised digital hub for product sustainability data, helping companies genuinely demonstrate their environmental commitment and comply with new market demands. Businesses that take this seriously now won’t just avoid greenwashing; they’ll be better positioned to compete in a market that values evidence over promises.
Sources
https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/circular-economy/green-claims_en
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Brands are trying to prevent greenwashing with the EU’s Digital Product Passport because it’s built on the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and offers a clear, reliable way to prove sustainability claims.
Consumer demand is increasingly growing towards ethical shopping, and brands are bound to prove their sustainability claims. But often, these claims aren’t true. Companies that make vague or misleading environmental statements, known as “greenwashing,” are not only acting unethically but are also facing increased legal scrutiny, particularly with the introduction of stricter EU regulations.
Digital Product Passports (DPPs) offer a solution for enhanced transparency, traceability, and regulatory compliance since it is designed to comply with all the barriers towards green claims.
Why Greenwashing Is a Growing Risk
Greenwashing is becoming a critical liability for companies as environmental claims face mounting scrutiny from regulators, investors, and consumers alike. With the rise of ESG reporting standards, upcoming legislation such as the EU Green Claims Directive, and enforcement actions under the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, sustainability is no longer a soft branding tool; it’s a compliance issue.
If a business makes environmental claims that aren’t true or can’t be proven, they risk ruining their reputation, facing legal trouble, and losing the trust of everyone involved. As people expect more and more solid, data-backed proof, companies that can’t back up their sustainability talk are going to fall behind or, even worse, get called out.
How Digital Product Passports Prevent Greenwashing
A Digital Product Passport (DPP) includes details such as its materials, manufacturing location and process, repair and recycling instructions, and environmental impact. The goal of a DPP is to provide accessible and reliable information to encourage product longevity, reusability, and reduce environmental damage, benefiting businesses, regulators, and consumers.
Once implemented through the ESPR, the DPP will be mandatory for several product categories sold in the EU. What makes it powerful is its ability to tie sustainability claims directly to source data. That connection limits room for greenwashing and helps businesses meet growing disclosure requirements with confidence.
How Digital Product Passports (DPPs) Combat Greenwashing
DPPs are crucial in preventing greenwashing by offering several advantages:
- Real product-level data
Instead of relying on generic marketing claims, the DPP includes specific details: material origins, carbon footprint, and end-of-life instructions.
- Framework for compliance
As part of the ESPR, DPPs are built to support alignment with EU sustainability legislation, including the Green Claims Directive.
- Verification of claims
Sustainability messaging can be traced back to verifiable data, reducing the risk of vague or exaggerated environmental claims.
- Supply chain transparency
Manufacturers, retailers, and consumers access the same dataset, minimising inconsistencies and selective reporting.
- Supports compliance across legislation
Enables brands to meet requirements under the Green Claims Directive and other EU regulatory frameworks focused on truthful environmental labeling.
- Strengthens brand credibility
Transparent disclosure builds trust with stakeholders, investors, and end users ,making green marketing more accountable and resilient.
Final Thoughts
The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is crucial for businesses as regulations like the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and Green Claims Directive demand greater transparency and sustainability. It is a centralised digital hub for product sustainability data, helping companies genuinely demonstrate their environmental commitment and comply with new market demands. Businesses that take this seriously now won’t just avoid greenwashing; they’ll be better positioned to compete in a market that values evidence over promises.
Sources
https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/circular-economy/green-claims_en
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