Aligning retail reverse logistics practice with circular economy values: an exploratory framework

TLDR

Existing literature on Circular Economy lacks frameworks that embed CE values into consumer retail reverse logistics operations. This paper proposes a conceptual framework to help practitioners and academics adopt Circular Economy values in retail reverse logistics. The study uses a mixed‑methods design, combining desk research with interviews of senior managers and academics in CE and RRL. The results show that embedding CE values in RRL requires a multi‑faceted approach, and the proposed framework helps practitioners shift toward more restorative practices, marking the first empirical evidence of such a multi‑dimensional strategy.

Abstract

Although there is a growing body of literature concerning Circular Economy (CE), there is little, in terms of frameworks in the literature, which focuses on embedding CE values in consumer Retail Reverse Logistics (RRL) operations. The aim of this paper is to present a conceptual framework that supports the adoption of CE values within RRL operations. The framework is designed to assist both practitioners and academics in better understanding the key management aspects involved. The methodology adopts a mixed methods approach combining a desk-based research with rich empirical data from interviews with senior management practitioners and academics in the fields of CE and RRL. From this research, it was found that embedding CE values within RRL necessitates the adoption of a multi-faceted approach. The adoption of the framework will have an impact on practitioners by assisting them in moving towards a more restorative and less impactful approach to their RRL practices. The work is considered innovative and novel as this is the first time the empirical results that suggest a multi-dimensional approach embedding CE values in RRL operations are presented.