Tesco is launching “digital passports” across its clothing range ahead of new sustainability rules.
The digital product passports will allow customers to see information about items in the F&F range, including where its materials were sourced.
Tesco’s Joe Little said the move represented “an important step forward, encouraging and promoting sustainable and circular practices”.
The pilot is being launched with tech company Fabacus, which is run by the founder of Nobody’s Child – a sustainable clothing brand that has previously used DPPs on three of its collections.
CEO and founder Andrew Xeni told the Money team that DPPs provided “a huge opportunity” for retailers to tell their story.
He said legislation for fashion using DPPs was expected to begin in 2027 so “practical implementation must start immediately”.
What are DPPs and what do they do?
DPPs show key information about what the product is made from, its origin, history and how to dispose of it properly.
They capture data about the environmental impact of an item and are being introduced across the EU to improve sustainability.
Mr Xeni compared them to the nutritional information we see on food products, saying they will help people to make more informed decisions about what they are buying.
It’s not clear what form Tesco will present them in, but when Nobody’s Child launched theirs, they came as a QR code on the clothing’s care label that could be scanned with a smartphone.
By 2030, a range of businesses are expected to be required to provide detailed information on the materials used in their products, and their environmental impact.
According to a provisional agreement from December, products with a high environmental impact will be prioritised as having to comply:
- Textiles
- Furniture
- Chemicals
- Batteries
- Consumer electronics
- Electronic devices
- Construction products
“It’s going to hold so many companies accountable,” said Mr Xeni.
Last year, the government’s European Scrutiny Committee raised concerns that the scheme could conflict with regulations in Northern Ireland because of the Windsor Framework – the post-Brexit legal agreement between the EU and the UK.
