23 October 2026 · 5 min
Product trust holds up when data has a source
Behind every product
In Milan, on 14 October, industry, research, digital commerce and consumers discussed the digital identity of products.
Exteryo Report editorial staff
The four questions about data help buyers distinguish verifiable information from a simple statement.
The short answer
Product information becomes evidence when it can answer four questions:
- Sourcewhere the data comes from and who collected it
- Itemwhich physical item it refers to, over time
- Checkswhat checks and steps have been recorded
- Responsibilitywho feeds and updates the information
The short answer
When the four answers are there, the product sheet becomes a protection tool for buyers.
Why it is not simple
A well-made digital sheet is enough to inspire trust.
There is more.
Why it is not simple
The sheet is only the last step: its value depends on the activities documented upstream, the careful link with the physical object and who takes responsibility for keeping the data updated.
Chapter 1 of 4
Where does the data the consumer sees on the product sheet come from?
Source
Data is only as good as the path that brought it to the sheet: who collected it, when and with what checks.
Milan · 14 October
On 14 October, in Milan, at Le Village by CA, Antares Vision Group and Genuine Way promoted the discussion «Beyond the brand: the digital identity of the product». The moderator was Armando Garosci, director of Largo Consumo.
Davide Zanesi, «Product trust starts with data quality» (16 October 2026) ↗
Before moving on
How many different perspectives sat on the panel of the Milan discussion?
Milan · 14 October
The panel featured Silvia Elia from Netcomm, Angelo Riccaboni from the University of Siena and Santa Chiara Lab, and Massimiliano Albanese from the Italian Consumers' Union. Industry, research, digital commerce and consumer protection in the same space.
Source
The starting questions are about design: where that data comes from, which product it refers to, who collected it and through what checks.
Source
- Sourcewho collected the data
- Timewhen it was collected
- Verificationwith what checks
Chapter 2 of 4
Which physical object does the information link to, and how does it stay linked over time?
The link
A digital identity gains substance when the link with the physical object is maintained and the source remains recognisable.
The link
During the meeting, DEOPP was presented, the platform for the digital identity of products developed by Genuine Way together with Antares Vision Group.
The proof point
The proof point is the link: information that describes a specific item, distinct from others, and follows it along the supply chain.
1 of 3
What the object is
2 of 3
The single item
3 of 3
What happens to it
The link
Without this link, the sheet describes a category, not an object.
Note
For us, it is the step between identifying (knowing what an object is) and serialising (distinguishing every single item from the others).
Chapter 3 of 4
What checks are behind supply chain information, and how do buyers verify them?
The checks
Behind reliable information there are checks carried out, steps recorded, consistent documentation and identifiable responsibilities.
The checks
Consumers can access understandable information and find, behind it, the activities that support it. It is on this basis that information becomes a protection tool.
Touch the label
What checks are behind supply chain information?
What checks are behind supply chain information?
What supports it
- A clear sheetChecks carried out
- A product historySteps recorded
- A reliable referenceConsistent documentation
The checks
Information is useful when it is needed: an understandable experience proportionate to the demand of those who consult it.
Chapter 4 of 4
Who feeds and updates the data, and how is this responsibility recognised?
Responsibility
Data quality enters the project from the very beginning and accompanies every subsequent choice.
Responsibility
At Exteryo, when we work on identification and the relationship between objects and digital systems, we look for continuity between what actually happens and what the system returns.
Note
Transparency: Technology records and links, it does not replace checks. Those who design, those who use the system in the company and those who buy have different needs to compare.
Responsibility
A brand that invests in materials, supplier qualification or processes can make that work readable and verifiable. Thus, data quality gives visibility to the quality of choices.
In a sentence
The product sheet is the last line of a story: it is only as good as the checks that precede it.
Exteryo Report
Takeaway
The questions to ask about any product information. For those who design a sheet and for those who read it before buying.
0 of 5 checked
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Sources
- Davide Zanesi, «Product trust starts with data quality» (16 October 2026)exteryo.com↗
- Consorzio Netcomm, digital commerce in Italyconsorzionetcomm.it↗
- Antares Vision Group, product traceability and identityantaresvisiongroup.com↗
Images and animations: illustrative objects generated with artificial intelligence. They do not depict real objects or documents mentioned in the article.
ExteryoExteryo Report · 23 October 2026