Europe is rewriting the rules of how products are designed, marketed, and trusted, and three major reforms are leading the charge:
the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), the Green Claims Directive (GCD), and the Digital Product Passport (DPP).
For years, companies freely used terms like “eco-friendly,” “recyclable,” “green,” or “sustainable.” But without clear definitions, Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) data, or verified environmental performance, many claims slipped into greenwashing.
The EU Green Deal is putting an end to that.
Today, the European Commission is building a transparency framework where sustainability claims must be accurate, traceable, and backed by evidence. At the center of this transformation is the Digital Product Passport — the data infrastructure that connects ESPR’s product design rules with the GCD’s strict claim-verification requirements.
This isn’t just policy.
This is Europe rebuilding trust in the sustainability economy — product by product, claim by claim.
The ESPR: Rethinking How Europe Designs Products
The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), in force since July 18, 2024, is one of Europe’s most ambitious sustainability regulations under the EU Green Deal. It replaces the older Ecodesign Directive and expands its focus far beyond energy efficiency, targeting a product’s entire lifecycle impact.
Its mission is simple:
Make every product sold in Europe more durable, repairable, transparent, and circular.
Upcoming delegated acts will set rules on:
- Durability
- Repairability
- Recycled content
- Material efficiency
- Recyclability
The ESPR applies to nearly all physical products in the EU, from textiles and electronics to furniture and batteries.
This regulation doesn’t just encourage circularity — it enforces it.
The Digital Product Passport: ESPR’s Most Transformative Tool
The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is the centerpiece of Europe’s new product-data ecosystem — and the key to making ESPR’s sustainability rules work in practice.
With a simple QR code scan, a product’s full lifecycle becomes visible:
- Material composition
- Sourcing locations
- Carbon footprint
- Chemical profile
In short, the DPP turns physical products into transparent, data-rich, verifiable assets.
Why this is essential:
- Consumers can verify what brands claim.
- Recyclers finally receive accurate technical information.
- Regulators can check compliance instantly.
- Companies can no longer hide unsustainable practices.
This is the digital backbone of the circular economy, and it goes even further.
The DPP does more than support sustainable product design. It also provides the verified, traceable data companies need when making environmental claims, which is where the Green Claims Directive comes in.
The Green Claims Directive: Europe’s Crackdown on Greenwashing
If the ESPR defines what products must become, the Green Claims Directive defines what companies are allowed to claim about them.
Under the EU Green Deal, the GCD ensures that environmental claims must be:
- Accurate
- Verifiable
- Supported by independent third-party verification
- Communicated using standardized, transparent methods
If ESPR drives sustainable product design, the GCD drives honest sustainability marketing.
How the Digital Product Passport Bridges ESPR and the GCD
Think of it this way:
ESPR sets the rules → DPP captures the data → GCD verifies the claims.
That makes the DPP the missing link between product sustainability requirements and regulated environmental communication.
1) DPP provides verifiable lifecycle data
The DPP captures key sustainability metrics required under both ESPR and the GCD, including:
- Recycled content
- Repairability scores
- Chemical composition
- Durability indicators
- Carbon footprint
This is the data companies need to prove claims such as:
- “Made with 80% recycled polyester”
- “Low carbon footprint”
- “Designed for repair”
2) DPP ensures traceability and supply chain transparency
DPP data is secure, tamper-proof, and machine-readable — often blockchain-backed.
Manufacturers, consumers, regulators, and recyclers can verify data instantly.
3) DPP standardizes sustainability information
It eliminates inconsistent reporting — one of the biggest drivers of greenwashing.
Standardized DPP data ensures that claims are:
- Comparable
- Reliable
- Easy to audit
- Difficult to manipulate
Exactly what the GCD requires.
ESPR vs. DPP vs. Green Claims Directive — At a Glance
| Element | ESPR | DPP | GCD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Set sustainability rules | Capture verified lifecycle data | Ensure claims are truthful |
| Role | Defines what data must be tracked | Stores and standardizes data | Uses DPP data to validate claims |
| Focus | Product design & performance | Traceability + transparency | Marketing & consumer protection |
| Mandatory? | Yes | Yes (by product group) | Yes for all environmental claims |
| Primary Users | Manufacturers, regulators | Manufacturers, consumers, auditors | All businesses making green claims |
| Outcome | Circular, sustainable products | Reliable product-data infrastructure | No greenwashing |
Sustainability in Europe Is Becoming Data-Driven
Together, the ESPR, the Green Claims Directive, and the Digital Product Passport form the world’s strongest sustainability governance system.
- The ESPR redefines product design.
- The GCD redefines sustainability communication.
- The DPP provides the scientific evidence linking the two.
This trio enables a future where:
- Products are designed for a circular economy
- Claims are backed by verifiable evidence
- Consumers gain full supply chain transparency
- Companies compete on credibility — not slogans
Businesses that adapt early will lead Europe’s next wave of sustainable innovation.
Those who don’t risk losing more than compliance.
They risk losing consumer trust.
Sustainability isn’t something you say.
It’s something you prove.
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