Adoption barriers to green logistics in the Indian food industry: A circular economy perspective

Abstract

Logistics is among the leading contributors to pollution and greenhouse gas emissions and needs a paradigm shift to ensure sustainability. Green logistics is an initiative to reduce environmental, social and economic damage, create a positive brand image and ensure customer loyalty to the firm. Even though green logistics yields many benefits, several factors often challenge its successful implementation. Thus, the study aims to identify and group the adoption barriers to green logistics in the food industry. The barriers perceived by food industry professionals were collected through a survey, and exploratory factor (EFA) analysis was applied to identify and group the most significant ones. EFA grouped the 19 significant barriers into six factors: organizational, regulatory, supplier, technological, customer and financial. Identifying these adoption barriers can help organizations frame suitable strategies to overcome barriers in successfully implementing green logistics. The study also suggests strategies to address the barriers to green logistics in the food industry for the Indian economy. The study also highlights implications for practice and theory.