Smart packaging becomes critical bridge for circular economy logistics
New research shows how embedded sensors and tracking in packaging can transform supply chains from reactive waste management to proactive circular systems. The finding matters because it clarifies a concrete pathway for companies to cut both physical waste and information loss—two obstacles preventing circular economy adoption at scale.
Originaltitel: Smart packaging's role in enhancing logistics capabilities for a circular economy: a systematic literature review
<p>PurposeThis study systematically explores the pathways through which smart packaging (SP) enhances logistics capabilities (LCs) to simultaneously address two key challenges for the circular economy (CE) - physical value and information loss. While the link between SP and circularity is recognised, the specific pathways through which item-level data reconfigures LCs and leads to circular outcomes remain underexplored. This paper clarifies these connections, detailing how and why SP serves as a foundational enabler for the strategic transition from reactive recovery to proactive circular supply chains. Design/methodology/approachFollowing a theory-informed systematic literature review (SLR), 59 articles were analysed using axial coding and multi-layered framework synthesis. The research utilises packaging functionalities (PFs) and LCs as micro-level and macro-level units of analysis, respectively, while adopting the R-imperative framework as a strategic lens to map circular outcomes. FindingsThe study identifies four thematic pathways: (1) proactive logistics management and dynamic optimisation, (2) autonomous and scalable reverse flows, (3) systemic trust and quality of material streams, and (4) collaborative value co-creation. The findings demonstrate that SP-enhanced LCs address the challenges of achieving circularity by mitigating physical value loss through functional preservation and information loss through item-level visibility. Information-management capabilities are the foundational antecedents allowing supply-management, demand-management, and coordination capabilities to mitigate the information asymmetry inherent in closed-loop systems. Originality/valueThis research develops a novel multi-layered conceptual framework explaining the "how" and "why" behind SP-enabled higher-order circularity. It identifies the theoretical boundaries of logistics-led interventions, highlighting the limits of item-level intelligence in supporting design-led strategies like repair and refurbish.</p>