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# Product Traceability

> The ability to follow the movement, composition and history of a product or its materials through the stages of production, distribution and use.

## Definition

The ability to identify a product or its components and to follow their movement and
transformation through the supply chain, both forward from source to market and backward from a
finished item to its inputs.

## Expanded Explanation

Traceability has two directions and both are required in practice. Tracing back answers where a
material or component came from, which is what substance restrictions, due diligence and recall
scoping depend on. Tracing forward answers where a batch went, which is what determines who must be
notified when a defect is found.

Its resolution is set by the identifier level. If records are kept only at model level, a problem in
one production run cannot be separated from the rest of the range, and any corrective action must
cover the whole model. Batch level records narrow the exposure; serial level records narrow it to
individual items.

Traceability is also increasingly a legal expectation rather than an operational preference.
Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 requires economic operators to identify the operators who supplied them
and to whom they supplied products, and instruments such as Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 on
deforestation free products require geolocation level evidence for specific commodities.

## Why It Matters

A passport is only as credible as the traceability behind it. Declaring recycled content, country of
manufacture or a carbon figure without records that link the claim to a specific batch produces a
statement that cannot be defended to a market surveillance authority.

## Common Misconceptions

#### One tier of supplier visibility is enough

Most sustainability and material claims originate several tiers upstream, at the processor, mill
or smelter. Visibility limited to direct suppliers usually cannot substantiate them.

## Related Terms

* [Product Identifier](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/product-identifier)
* [Economic Operator](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/economic-operator)
* [Product Data](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/product-data)
* [Market Surveillance](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/market-surveillance)
* [EPCIS](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/epcis)

## Related Knowledge Base Articles

* [Who Needs a Digital Product Passport?](/docs/knowledge-base/digital-product-passports/who-needs-a-digital-product-passport)
* [What Is a Digital Product Passport?](/docs/knowledge-base/digital-product-passports/what-is-a-digital-product-passport)

## Related Articles

* [Supply Chain Tier](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/supply-chain-tier)
* [EPCIS](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/epcis)
* [Product Identifier](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/product-identifier)
* [Authoritative Source](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/authoritative-source)
* [Data Architecture](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/data-architecture)
* [Golden Record](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/golden-record)
* [Product Data](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/product-data)
* [Product Data Governance](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/data-governance)

## See Also

* [Implementation](/docs/knowledge-base/implementation/overview)
* [Industry Guides](/docs/knowledge-base/industry-guides/overview)

## References

* Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 on market surveillance and compliance of products:
  [https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/1020/oj](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/1020/oj)
* Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 on deforestation free products:
  [https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1115/oj](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1115/oj)
* ISO 9001, quality management systems, requirements: [https://www.iso.org/standard/62085.html](https://www.iso.org/standard/62085.html)

## About This Article

About This Article

<dl>
  <dt>
    Last Reviewed
  </dt>

  <dd>
    2026-08-07
  </dd>

  <dt>
    Next Scheduled Review
  </dt>

  <dd>
    2027-08-07
  </dd>

  <dt>
    Article Version
  </dt>

  <dd>
    1.0
  </dd>
</dl>

tieback Knowledge is a continuously maintained reference library covering Digital Product
Passports, product traceability, product compliance and related regulations. Articles are
reviewed regularly as legislation, standards and implementation guidance evolve.

## Related Docs

* [Implementation](/docs/knowledge-base/implementation/overview)
* [Industry Guides](/docs/knowledge-base/industry-guides/overview)
* [Digital Product Passports](/docs/knowledge-base/digital-product-passports/overview)
* [Glossary](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/overview)