Reverse Logistics in Agri-food supply chains: a systematic literature review

This paper aims to explore, through the analysis of 153 scientific articles (1998-2023), how reverse logistics contributes to reducing food and packaging waste, decreasing greenhouse gas emissions and improving agri-food supply chain efficiency. The research pays particular attention to reverse logistics’ role within a circular business model in a) reducing food waste, and b) mitigating the system’s contribution to climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The main subject areas related to reverse logistics, analyzed in the literature, include waste management, inventory optimization, packaging management and the perishable nature of food products. The review highlights the growing importance of reverse logistics in reducing food waste, managing packaging, and addressing the challenges related to the perishable nature of food products. The findings also highlight reverse logistics as a key tool for applying circular economy strategies, pointing to challenges that require greater integration across the different food supply chains, collaboration between different economic agents of the agri-food system and stakeholders, and policy support. The study identifies key barriers such as inadequate infrastructure, high costs, and a lack of coordination among supply chain actors. In response, the literature suggests solutions including investments in cold chain systems, improved traceability, and supportive public policies.