# Digital product passports for SMEs: start small and stay scalable

> A pragmatic route for smaller companies to organise responsibilities, data and tools without excessive complexity.

- Category: Planning
- Last reviewed: 17 August 2026
- Canonical HTML version: https://dppready.de/en/knowledge/digital-product-passport-smes

SMEs can start with a focused pilot and simple tools, provided identifiers, field definitions, approvals and exports are designed for later growth.

## In brief

- Choose one product family with business relevance.
- Name owners before buying technology.
- Prefer simple, exportable and repeatable processes.

## Set a narrow scope

Select a representative product, identify applicable rules and define the pilot’s decision, audience and success criteria.


## Use existing data wisely

Inventory ERP records, spreadsheets, supplier documents and staff knowledge, then prioritise gaps rather than rebuilding everything.


## Prepare for scale

Standardise templates, identifiers and approval steps so later automation can replace manual imports without changing the core model.


## Frequently asked questions

### Does an SME need a large platform immediately?

No. The solution should fit current scale while preserving structured exports, stable identifiers and upgrade paths.

### Where should an SME begin?

Begin with applicability, one data inventory and a pilot that exposes real gaps and responsibilities.

## Official sources

- [EU Regulation 2024/1781 (ESPR)](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1781/oj)
- [ESPR Working Plan 2025–2030](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/DE/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52025DC0187)

This content is general information and does not constitute legal advice or a compliance guarantee.