The European Union is introducing the Digital Product Passport (DPP) under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), aiming to improve transparency and traceability of environmental data across the entire product life cycle. For manufacturers of concrete products, this marks a significant step toward more sustainable and responsible production.

The DPP will require verified information on each product’s carbon footprint, material composition, durability, and recyclability. As a result, carbon footprint calculation and reporting are becoming central to both environmental performance and market competitiveness. In the context of implementing the DPP within the concrete industry, it is possible to conduct a SWOT analysis to identify key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

Among the major threats are increasing legal and reputational risks associated with greenwashing — unsubstantiated or misleading environmental claims. According to new EU legislation, including the Green Claims Directive, companies may face substantial financial penalties if their sustainability statements are not based on credible data. Conversely, the Digital Product Passport provides a verified framework that helps prevent such risks and supports transparent communication. The weaknesses relate mainly to the complexity and cost of data collection, the need for life cycle assessments (LCA), and challenges linked to digital integration within supply chains. At the same time, there are significant opportunities, particularly in carbon sequestration in concrete — the natural process by which concrete absorbs CO₂ during its service life. Accurate measurement and documentation of this phenomenon can contribute to emission reduction strategies and participation in carbon credit schemes or green certification programs.

The strengths of adopting a Green Passport approach include greater transparency, readiness for future regulations, and improved trust among clients and authorities.

For the concrete industry, it also opens new perspectives for innovation in materials, production technologies, and sustainability management. Ultimately, the Digital Product Passport should not be seen merely as a compliance requirement but as anopportunity to build a more transparent, circular, and resilient construction sector. Companies that begin collecting and verifying environmental data today will gain a strong competitive advantage in the sustainable market of tomorrow.