One passport for an entire series of mattresses: why that often fails
A common mistake is for a company to have one digital product passport drawn up for an entire series of mattresses, for example a collection that is sold in three firmness grades and four sizes. The idea makes sense: the mattresses are similar to each other, so why not use one passport for the entire line? In practice, this does not work, because a passport is linked to one specific product with its own composition, materials and properties.
The consequence is that the information in the passport can no longer be traced back to the mattress that the customer actually bought. A firmer version may have different filling or a different percentage of recycled material than the softer variant, while the QR code on both mattresses refers to the same passport. This is precisely the kind of discrepancy that supervisory authorities look for: not whether a passport exists, but whether the data in it matches the product it stands for.
Why this mistake is so common
The mistake usually does not arise from negligence, but from a cost consideration. Creating one passport per model takes more time than one passport for an entire line, especially if a manufacturer offers dozens of variants. Software suppliers and platforms often also work with templates that are set up per product line, which makes it tempting to let small differences between variants fall under one and the same passport. As long as no one checks, it seems like no problem. As soon as a supervisor, a customer or a hotel buyer scans the QR code and compares the data with the physical mattress, the difference becomes visible.
A second reason is that companies do not always know what level of detail the regulation precisely requires. Does only the size differ, or does the composition also differ? This distinction is not always clear in every company, especially if procurement, production and marketing operate separately. In the knowledge base with explanations per subject it is explained which concepts the regulation uses and where the distinction between variants becomes relevant.
How to avoid this
The first step is a straightforward inventory: which models, sizes and compositions do you carry, and where are the real differences in material or origin? Not every size variant needs its own passport, but as soon as the composition changes, the information that must be traceable also changes. Record that distinction before you speak with a supplier, so that you are not dependent on their assumption about what constitutes one product.
The second step is the conversation with the party that compiles or hosts the passport for you. Explicitly ask how they handle product variants: does each model get its own passport and its own QR code, or is there work with one base passport with references to variants? Both approaches can work, as long as the link between QR code and mattress remains unambiguous. With the product scan that shows you where you stand in a few questions you can clarify in advance which questions are relevant for your assortment.
What this means for existing stock and new models
Companies that already work with a passport sometimes only encounter this error when making a model change: a new supplier of filling material, an adjusted percentage of recycled textile, or a new size added to the collection. If the existing passport is not then adjusted or split, the exact problem described above arises. It is therefore advisable to reassess with every change in composition or model whether the existing passport is still correct, and not only to check this during the original setup. the page where you read how the data for the passport is compiled describes how such a link between product and passport works.
Whether a specific situation in your assortment may fall under one passport or not is something that differs case by case and for which the official text or a lawyer provides clarity. On the page with answers to frequently asked questions you will find additional explanation on how other companies encounter this type of question.
Would you like to check for your own assortment whether you run the risk that variants incorrectly fall under one passport? The free quick-scan provides a first indication in a few minutes, without you needing to create an account.