From the 30th March 2022, eCommerce was put to the test. 

Rather than continuing to source and sell products the way procurement always had (balancing cost and quality), the European Union’s “Green Deal” made some demands, implementing a scheme that has changed sustainability forever.

Your Introduction to Digital Product Passports

While “Digital Product Passports” might be a term that you’ve heard mentioned before (pushed over by your legal team), they’re still a fairly new concept. Before we dig into its useful applications in marketing and sales generation, let’s go over some of the basics.

What are Digital Product Passports?

According to Protokol, Digital Product Passports (or “DPP”) can be defined as “a tool for collecting and sharing product data throughout its entire lifecycle”. This information can then be used on a wider scale to illustrate a product’s sustainability, environmental and recyclability attributes – encouraging eCommerce to think more carefully about the products they sell.

What are the Goals of a Digital Product Passport?

The Digital Product Passport scheme was introduced by the European Union to encourage the eCommerce industry to play its part in achieving the region’s carbon-neutral goals by 2050. The thought process behind them is that by providing more transparency, consumers can hold individual businesses accountable for the decisions they’re making behind the scenes.

What are the Benefits of Digital Product Passports?

Since their establishment, Digital Product Passports have had a significant effect on the eCommerce space. An article from MyLime demonstrates that there has been a positive impact on ethical decision-making, customer loyalty, compliance, supply chain management, and customer experiences. Before long, we also expect Digital Product Passports to be proactively used in advertising and marketing campaigns to improve a product’s reputation.

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How to Use Digital Product Passports in Your Marketing

Digital Product Passports have unlocked a whole world of potential. Consumers in today’s world like to make careful choices about who they shop with and DPPs present the perfect opportunity for increased communication and transparency. 

“By providing detailed information about a product, businesses can establish trust with their customers and increase their confidence in the products they are buying. It, in turn, can lead to increased customer loyalty and repeat business.” - My Lime

1. QR Codes

A simple QR code placed on a product’s packaging or promotional materials can provide your audience with a wealth of information at their fingertips. This allows your customers to feel more in touch with your business and become invested to play an active part in your success. If they can see that you are sourcing materials ethically and care about the decisions you make, you can reduce buyer’s remorse and increase repeat purchases. 

2. Content 

A marketing team with access to Digital Product Passports can highlight information about their supply chain to share on social media, in a blog, or through an email newsletter. This can be used as an emotional marketing tactic, letting your audience get a glimpse behind the scenes and learn more about your business. In turn, this will encourage more people to make a purchase or recommend your business. 

3. Advertising

Without accessibility and transparency, advertising will rarely be successful. Consumers are often distrustful of a business they’ve never heard of before and will want to research the product before they buy. With Digital Product Passports, this is completely possible. You can use a hyperlink or QR code to reduce the time it takes for your audience to find the information they need, making them more likely to complete a purchase and ultimately increasing your return on investment. 

“Although the concept of ‘cradle-to-grave’ product tracking isn’t new, this solution is one that places more emphasis on end-user accessibility than others – with consumer benefits and value derived equalling that of businesses, which isn’t always the case with alternative mechanisms.” - Protokol

4. Customer Service

Although it’s not always equated with the marketing department, customer service plays a big part in an organisation’s reputation. The better your audience is treated, the more likely they are to recommend you to a friend. When a company uses Digital Product Passports, they can be more in touch with their supply chain and everyone at all levels can understand the steps from A to B – communicating this to their consumers when asked. This is especially crucial in B2B environments where a client has their own sustainability goals to meet.

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Working with Forward Role

To successfully implement concepts such as Digital Product Passports across your marketing functions, you need partners and talent that both have the expertise to do so. That’s exactly what you’ll find at Forward Role.

For help expanding your horizons and driving change in your industry through intelligent recruitment, contact us. 

If you're a client, you can expect exceptional delivery and communication as a matter of course. 

If you're a candidate, we'll treat you the way we'd like to be treated when making an important life decision like moving jobs.

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