Tesco is rolling out “digital product passports” (DPPs) across its F&F clothing line, aiming to meet upcoming sustainability regulations. These digital tools will give customers detailed information about where clothing materials come from and how the items were made.
Joe Little from Tesco described the move as a key step toward encouraging sustainable and circular fashion practices.
The supermarket giant is teaming up with technology company Fabacus for the pilot program. Fabacus is led by Andrew Xeni, who also founded the sustainable clothing brand Nobody’s Child. That brand has already used DPPs in three of its collections.
Speaking to the Money team, Xeni called DPPs a “huge opportunity” for retailers to share their sustainability stories with shoppers. He added that new laws requiring DPPs in fashion are expected to take effect in 2027, so brands need to act now to prepare.
What Are Digital Product Passports?
Digital product passports offer key information about clothing, such as:
- What the product is made of
- Where the materials were sourced
- The item’s production history
- How to properly recycle or dispose of it
They also include data on the environmental impact of each item. The EU is pushing the use of DPPs to help improve sustainability across industries.
Xeni compared them to food labels that show nutritional facts, saying DPPs will help customers make better choices when shopping for clothes.
While Tesco hasn’t confirmed how it will display the digital passports, in previous examples by Nobody’s Child, the DPP was shown as a QR code on the clothing’s care label. Shoppers could scan it with a smartphone for full details.
What’s Next for Product Transparency?
By 2030, many businesses will be required to share detailed information about the materials used in their products and their environmental impact. Items with higher environmental impact will be the first to face these new rules. These include:
- Textiles
- Furniture
- Chemicals
- Batteries
- Consumer electronics
- Construction products
“This will hold many companies accountable,” said Xeni.
However, there are some legal concerns. Last year, the European Scrutiny Committee in the UK warned that the new scheme could clash with rules in Northern Ireland due to the Windsor Framework—a post-Brexit agreement between the UK and the EU.
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