Digital Product Passports (DPPs) are set to transform how professional AV equipment is manufactured, tracked and supported.
Mandated under the EU’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), DPPs will soon become a legal requirement for many product groups, including displays, light sources and broader AV electronics.
In this article, Lisa Stafford, CEO & Co-Founder of TAZAAR, outlines what AV manufacturers need to know now: from the data that will sit inside each passport to the timelines for implementation and the potential commercial benefits.
Lisa will also expand on these insights at the PLASA Show 2025, in the Audio & AV Theatre on 7 September, 12:30-13:15, with her session “Digital Product Passports, Are You Ready?”.
What is a Digital Product Passport (DPP)?
A DPP is a structured, secure digital record linked to each unit via a QR code, NFC or RFID tag. It travels with the product through manufacture, distribution, service and end-of-life and holds verifiable data such as identifiers, compliance files, repairability info and environmental metrics. Access is role-based so service partners, customers and authorities see what they need, nothing more.
Source: TAZAAR
What information is publicly available on a DPP?
The “public layer” typically shows the model, serial/unique ID, essential specs, applicable conformity marks, and lifecycle/service events that aid resale and recycling. More sensitive data (supplier docs, technical files) is available to authorised roles only, as set by the delegated act for each product group and enforced through role-based access.
Source: TAZAAR
How does this link to the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR)?
ESPR is the legal framework that makes DPPs mandatory for regulated products sold in the EU. It entered into force on 18 July 2024 and empowers the Commission to set product-specific rules (including DPP datasets) via delegated acts.
Source: European Commission
What are the latest updates to the working plan?
On 16 April 2025, the European Commission adopted the 2025–2030 ESPR & Energy Labelling Working Plan, naming priority product groups and horizontal measures. Electronics/electricals, including professional AV systems, displays and light sources sit within the first wave, alongside horizontal requirements like repairability scoring and recycled content for EEE.
Sources: TAZAAR, European Commission
What are the latest timelines?
- EU DPP Registry operational by 19 July 2026 (manufacturers upload passport data once their product group’s act applies).
- Delegated acts then phase in by group through 2026–2030.
Indicative adoption windows (from the Working Plan summaries) include Displays (2027), Light sources & separate control gear (2029) and Standby/off-mode (horizontal, end-2030). Exact go-live dates for DPP per product are fixed in each delegated act—track your group’s file.
Sources: White & Case Protokol
Which products are first to be affected in AV?
Early impact lands on displays/digital signage and lighting ecosystems used in venues and touring. Broader pro-AV electronics (mixers, amplifiers, controllers, DSPs, comms) are captured via the “electronics/electricals” and ICT scopes plus horizontal measures (e.g., repairability information). Prioritisation reflects environmental impact and market size.
What happens if I don’t have a DPP?
Once your product group’s act applies, placing non-compliant products on the EU market is prohibited. Market surveillance can block import/placement, require withdrawal/recall, and apply penalties, so yes, products can be stopped at customs or refused by distributors.
How can you turn compliance into profitability?
Treat the DPP as a commercial asset: cut support friction with verified service history, reduce claims, smooth second-life sales, and strengthen ESG reporting. The traceability signal also supports loss-prevention and may help insurance discussions, especially when paired with location tools.
See a DPP in action
APT-GB is one of the first AV manufacturers adopting DPPs. Visit TAZAAR + APT-GB at stand B5 at PLASA Show 2025 for live demos.
Don’t miss this session at PLASA Show with Lisa Stafford, Co-Founder of TAZAAR, specialists in product traceability and tracking:
Digital Product Passports, Are You Ready?
Date: 07 Sep 2025
Time: 12:30 – 13:15
Location: Audio & AV Theatre
This seminar is free to attend with a show entry badge. Seminars operate on a walk-in basis, so be sure to arrive in good time as seats are first-come, first-served.
