Digital product passports for a circular economy: Data needs for product life cycle decision-making

Digital product passports have been proposed as a policy instrument to enable decision-making throughout life cycles in favour of circular economy. However, due nascent conceptualisation and weak industrial embeddedness, the contents such an are source uncertainty. Situated mechatronics context, this multiple-case study explores data needs for digital passports. Extant research reveals seven clusters: (1) usage maintenance, (2) identification, (3) products materials, (4) guidelines manuals, (5) supply chain reverse logistics, (6) environmental (7) compliance. To contextualise these clusters, interviews with three original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) well their respective customers, service partners, suppliers third-party recycling companies were conducted. Through survey, each specific point was assessed terms importance, availability sensitivity. The findings show differentiating across actors, yet exchange its supporting infrastructure closing resource loops remain at low maturity. Consequently, policymakers recommended roll out gradual stages, while managers should proactively reconfigure flows account chain. Future is encouraged explore use other industries.