Systematic Literature Review on Sustainable Consumption from the Perspective of Companies, People and Public Policies

Abstract

Sustainable consumption requires that people, companies, and nations promote correct use of their resources in the interest of environmental protection and ecosystem integrity. Given the relevance of this subject, the main objective of the present study was to provide an overview of the literature on sustainable consumption, going beyond knowledge related to consumer behavior, and addressing questions connected with the role of companies and public policies in the promotion of sustainable consumption. To achieve that, a systematic literature review was carried out by selecting 114 articles published over the past ten years, from Web of Science categories with an environmental focus. The study allowed for showing the state of the art of the subject, as well as suggestions for future studies based on gaps in the literature. It was found that there is a concentration of studies oriented toward surveying and understanding consumer behavior at the expense of those focused on examining companies and their relationship with sustainability and consumption.