Berlin/Frankfurt am Main, June 23, 2026. The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is becoming increasingly important for companies, but many are still in the early stages of implementation. Only just under one in five of the companies surveyed has begun taking concrete steps toward its introduction. At the same time, many of the respondents still see a need for clarification regarding standards, data structures, and the organizational framework for implementation. This is shown by the results of the 14th German Standardisation Panel, an annual corporate survey conducted by DIN and DKE involving more than 1,000 companies and organizations from industry, the construction sector, electrical engineering, services, and other sectors.
High Relevance, Implementation Remains Challenging
With the European Ecodesign Regulation and the Battery Regulation, the DPP is gradually becoming relevant for an increasing number of products. It is intended to make important product information—such as details on materials, origin, or repairability—digitally available in the future. The results show that, of the 1,092 companies and organizations surveyed, only 201 have taken concrete steps to implement the DPP so far.
Respondents cite uniform requirements, interoperable systems, and common data formats and interfaces as the key prerequisites for successful implementation. These are crucial for ensuring that information can be exchanged efficiently and reliably along international supply and value chains. At the same time, many companies still see unresolved issues regarding the legal framework, compliance requirements, and the practical integration of the DPP into existing processes.
Common standards are crucial for DPP implementation
The survey shows that companies attribute an important role to standardization in the development of the Digital Product Passport. At the same time, only about 11% of respondents have so far been actively involved in DPP-related standardization bodies—primarily from the consumer goods, electrical engineering, and construction industries, mainly at the national (46%) and European (39%) levels.
Christoph Winterhalter, Chairman of the DIN Executive Board: “The DPP is becoming a central tool for the digital exchange of product information. Companies can use data along global value chains more easily, securely, and efficiently, streamline bureaucratic processes, and develop new digital offerings. The German business community recognized the importance of the Digital Product Passport early on and highlighted the need for internationally harmonized standards. That is why DIN and DKE have set the strategic course to enable Germany to actively shape international standardization. This will allow the DPP to function across national and system boundaries and create real added value for companies worldwide.”
Dr. Stephan Finke, Managing Director of the DKE, adds: “Many companies recognize the potential of the Digital Product Passport but would like more guidance on its practical implementation. Right now is the opportunity to actively help shape the necessary standards. The more companies contribute their specific requirements and practical experiences to the standardization process, the better the solutions will be—solutions that work in practice and are internationally compatible.”
The findings of the 14th German Standardisation Panel provide important impetus for ongoing standardization work at the national, European, and international levels. In addition to the DPP, the study addresses the circular economy, the European Ecodesign Regulation, and the importance of standards for companies as a whole. The complete results can be found at www.normungspanel.de.
What is the German Standardisation Panel?
Since 2012, researchers at the Technical University of Berlin have been conducting an annual survey for the German Standardisation Panel, asking companies about the importance of standards. The project is supported by the German Institute for Standardization (DIN e. V.) and the German Commission for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies (DKE) under the patronage of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.
To date, the German Standardisation Panel has incorporated data from more than 8,000 companies, including more than half of the DAX-listed companies as well as many small and medium-sized enterprises.
