Paper Number
ECIS2026-2837
Paper Type
CRP
Abstract
The Ecodesign Sustainable Products Regulation mandates the introduction of Digital Product Passports (DPPs) to enhance circularity and transparency throughout product lifecycles. Although DPPs are intended to support consumers in making sustainability-oriented decisions, little is known about the underlying mechanisms driving consumers’ willingness to use them. Building on UTAUT2, this study empirically examines two distinct motivational pathways: complexity reduction as a utilitarian mechanism and sustainability impact as a prosocial mechanism. A survey of 117 German consumers and a subsequent variance-based structural equation model show that both mechanisms significantly impact the behavioural intention of consumers, yet through different pathways. Specifically, complexity reduction primarily explains the influence of effort expectancy, while sustainability impact mediates the impact of performance expectancy, social influence, and hedonic motivation on behavioural intention. These findings expand our understanding of consumer preferences regarding the acceptance and use of DPPs and may guide organisations in designing more effective consumer-oriented DPP solutions.
Recommended Citation
Petrik, Dimitri; Bogodistov, Yevgen; Merz, Sarah; and Obenland, Anna, "Motivations For Using Digital Product Passports: Complexity Reduction Or Sustainability Impact?" (2026). ECIS 2026 Proceedings. 22.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2026/is_resil/isresilience/22
Motivations For Using Digital Product Passports: Complexity Reduction Or Sustainability Impact?
The Ecodesign Sustainable Products Regulation mandates the introduction of Digital Product Passports (DPPs) to enhance circularity and transparency throughout product lifecycles. Although DPPs are intended to support consumers in making sustainability-oriented decisions, little is known about the underlying mechanisms driving consumers’ willingness to use them. Building on UTAUT2, this study empirically examines two distinct motivational pathways: complexity reduction as a utilitarian mechanism and sustainability impact as a prosocial mechanism. A survey of 117 German consumers and a subsequent variance-based structural equation model show that both mechanisms significantly impact the behavioural intention of consumers, yet through different pathways. Specifically, complexity reduction primarily explains the influence of effort expectancy, while sustainability impact mediates the impact of performance expectancy, social influence, and hedonic motivation on behavioural intention. These findings expand our understanding of consumer preferences regarding the acceptance and use of DPPs and may guide organisations in designing more effective consumer-oriented DPP solutions.