Step 5
Product identifiers
The DPP resolves via a product identifier encoded in the data carrier. Choosing well matters: a bad identifier scheme is painful to migrate.
The three classes
GS1 identifiers (GTIN, GIAI, SGTIN)
Globally unique, widely supported by retail scanning and authorities. GS1 Digital Link turns them into a URL. Default choice for consumer goods.
URN / URI
Namespaced identifiers (e.g., urn:iso:std:iso:23247…). Useful for industrial and bespoke products where a retail-style GS1 allocation is overkill.
Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs)
W3C DID spec. Self-sovereign, resolvable without a central registry. Strongest fit for high-value, multi-party items (EV batteries, aircraft parts) and for Verifiable Credentials.
Decision guide
| If your product is… | Prefer |
|---|---|
| Retail-distributed consumer good | GS1 (GTIN) + GS1 Digital Link URL |
| Serialised industrial asset (battery, aircraft part) | DID + GS1 SGTIN as secondary |
| Bulk intermediate (steel coil, aluminium ingot) | URN + mill-certificate cross-reference |
| Construction product with DoP | GS1 Digital Link + DoP URN |
Registration flow
- Obtain your company prefix from GS1 (for GTIN) or stand up your DID method.
- Allocate identifiers per your chosen granularity (model / batch / instance).
- Stand up a resolver at a stable DNS name. Never change it after publication.
- Register the resolver with the EU DPP Registry (once open) or the relevant sector registry (e.g., battery registry).
- Publish the data carrier on or in the product.