Sustainable Retailing

Journal of Retailing, Special Issue Re-Strategizing Retailing in a Technology Based Era, Forthcoming

50 Pages Posted: 29 Dec 2020

See all articles by Gautham Vadakkepatt

Gautham Vadakkepatt

George Mason University - Department of Marketing

Karen Page Winterich

Pennsylvania State University - Mary Jean and Frank P. Smeal College of Business Administration

Vikas Mittal

Rice University

Walter Zinn

The Ohio State University

Lauren Beitelspacher

Portland State University - Marketing and Advertising

John Aloysius

University of Arkansas - Department of Supply Chain Management

Jessica Ginger

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Julie Reilman

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Date Written: October 19, 2020

Abstract

As consumers seek products that cause minimal environmental harm and bring about positive social impact, and as awareness of supply chain impact grows, retailers must embrace sustainability. Given their unique position in the supply chain between upstream suppliers and downstream consumers, retailers are key to a circular economy in which products at the initial end-of-life stage are returned to the supply chain for continued use. By serving as a connection between suppliers and consumers, retail initiatives can help to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Furthermore, retailers can leverage their unique position in the supply chain to enable and legitimize a focus on social issues across the supply chain. We discuss such actions, the challenges that need to be overcome to have scalable impact, and the mechanisms retailers can utilize to make such progress.

Keywords: sustainability; supply chain; circular economy; retailing; social impact

Suggested Citation

Vadakkepatt, Gautham and Winterich, Karen Page and Mittal, Vikas and Zinn, Walter and Beitelspacher, Lauren and Aloysius, John and Ginger, Jessica and Reilman, Julie, Sustainable Retailing (October 19, 2020). Journal of Retailing, Special Issue Re-Strategizing Retailing in a Technology Based Era, Forthcoming, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3714958 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3714958

Gautham Vadakkepatt (Contact Author)

George Mason University - Department of Marketing

United States

Karen Page Winterich

Pennsylvania State University - Mary Jean and Frank P. Smeal College of Business Administration ( email )

University Park, PA 16802
United States

Vikas Mittal

Rice University ( email )

6100 South Main Street
250 McNair
Houston, TX 77005-1892
United States

Walter Zinn

The Ohio State University

Lauren Beitelspacher

Portland State University - Marketing and Advertising ( email )

United States

John Aloysius

University of Arkansas - Department of Supply Chain Management ( email )

AK
United States

Jessica Ginger

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Julie Reilman

affiliation not provided to SSRN

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