How Digital Product Passports Will Reshape Manufacturer-Reseller Relationships

Why Digital Product Passport Matters

At its core, a Digital Product Passport is a structured, standardized digital record of a product’s lifecycle. It will include attributes such as materials, origin, repair instructions, sustainability information, and more. The EU’s legislation around DPP is still evolving, but one thing is clear: a new level of transparency and accountability is coming and will have an impact on the manufacturer-reseller relationship.

This will not only affect how consumers access product information but also how brands, manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers collaborate. The increased demand for comprehensive, accurate product data will inevitably reshape business models and supply chain dynamics.

Manufacturers as the “Economic Operator”

Under DPP legislation, manufacturers will typically be identified as the ‘Economic Operator’—the entity that holds legal responsibility for both the product and its associated data. This designation has profound implications:

• Legal accountability: Manufacturers must ensure that all required product data is accurate, up to date, and compliant with evolving regulatory standards.

• Supply chain pressure: Because data responsibility starts at the manufacturing level, it will cascade downstream to distributors, wholesalers, and retailers.

• Data quality as liability: Incomplete or incorrect data could expose manufacturers—and their partners—to legal and reputational risks.

For resellers, this means they will depend on manufacturers more than ever. If the upstream data isn’t sufficient, retailers and marketplaces risk non-compliance when passing information to consumers. In turn, this can have a negative impact on the manufacturer-reseller relationship.

Responsibilities Flowing Through the Supply Chain

One of the most interesting shifts created by DPP is how responsibility flows down the supply chain. While manufacturers carry the initial legal responsibility, wholesale and retail partners are ultimately responsible for delivering that data to the end consumer.

This raises a series of new challenges:

• Consistency: If data changes mid-supply chain, how do all parties ensure they are working with the same “single source of truth”?

• Traceability: Who bears responsibility if an error in product data is discovered after a sale?

• Risk mitigation: Will resellers begin to prioritize manufacturers who have robust DPP processes, in order to reduce their own exposure?

The implications are clear: manufacturers that excel at product data management will become more attractive partners, while those who lag behind may find their products deprioritized or even excluded.

Differentiation Through Better Product Data

While compliance is the driver, opportunity is the reward. Manufacturers that invest in robust, automated product information management will be able to:

• Reduce cost and risk for resellers: By delivering clean, structured, compliant data, manufacturers make it easier for retailers to list, market, and sell products with confidence.

• Accelerate time-to-market: Fewer data-related bottlenecks mean products can reach consumers faster, a major advantage in competitive industries like fashion, electronics, and consumer goods.

• Build trust across the supply chain: Retailers will naturally prefer manufacturers who consistently deliver reliable data that reduces operational headaches.

In other words, the DPP era transforms product data from an afterthought into a strategic differentiator.

The Tangible Value of Product Data

Until now, many organizations treated product data as an operational necessity rather than a measurable asset. DPP changes that.

By attaching legal, financial, and reputational consequences to product data, organizations will be able to:

• Quantify the true cost of bad data: Poor product data no longer just slows down processes—it can now directly threaten compliance.

• Evaluate product portfolio risk: Retailers may start to assess the cost of including certain products based on the quality and reliability of manufacturer-supplied data.

• Build ROI models for data quality investments: Tools like PIM (Product Information Management) platforms become mission-critical, with clear financial justification for adoption.

This revaluation of data’s importance could fundamentally shift how organizations approach product launches, supplier onboarding, and portfolio strategy.

Marketplaces and Sales Model Questions

The rise of marketplaces has already disrupted traditional supply chain relationships. DPP introduces new uncertainty here:

• Who is responsible in a marketplace model? While marketplaces like Amazon or Zalando facilitate the transaction, the DPP legislation specifically excludes any new legal obligations on marketplaces themselves.

• Deference to the Digital Services Act: Instead, non-compliance issues related to marketplaces are expected to be governed under the EU’s Digital Services Act.

• Supplier accountability: This means responsibility falls squarely on the suppliers who list their products, rather than on the marketplace operator.

This opens new questions:

• Will marketplaces alter their onboarding processes, requiring more stringent product data validation before allowing listings?

• Could new “preferred supplier” tiers emerge, prioritizing manufacturers with bulletproof DPP compliance?

• Might entirely new sales models develop, where intermediaries take on the compliance responsibility in exchange for higher margins?

It’s too early to predict exactly how this will play out, but one thing is certain: the status quo will not hold.

Preparing for the Road Ahead

For both manufacturers and resellers, the path forward is clear:

1. Audit your product data today: Understand what information you already have, where gaps exist, and how your systems support (or hinder) data flow.

2. Invest in scalable systems: A PIM solution designed to manage compliance data at scale will be essential.

3. Strengthen supplier–reseller collaboration: Open dialogue and shared processes will help prevent compliance issues before they occur.

4. Stay close to regulatory updates: Much is still to be defined in DPP legislation. Staying agile will be key.

Conclusion: From Obligation to Opportunity

The Digital Product Passport is not just another compliance checkbox. It’s a catalyst for rethinking the manufacturer-reseller relationship.

• Manufacturers will carry greater legal responsibility as Economic Operators.

• Resellers will face downstream accountability for delivering data to consumers.

• The quality of product data will become a competitive advantage, not just a regulatory requirement.

• Marketplaces will likely change the way they interact with suppliers, even if they aren’t directly regulated.

This creates real tension—but also real opportunity. Those who prepare early will not only reduce risk but also position themselves as leaders in the new product data economy.

Looking Ahead in the Series

This is just the start. In future installments of this series, I’ll explore topics such as:

• Sustainability and Circular Economy: How DPP will help consumers and businesses make greener choices.

• Technology and Data Infrastructure: The role of PIM, DAM, and AI in scaling DPP compliance.

• Consumer Trust and Engagement: How transparent product data can drive loyalty and sales.

Tim and I look forward to continuing this conversation and helping organizations navigate this major shift in how we think about product data.