Green logistics practices in the food sector: a framework

There is an increased attention to environmental sustainability in the food industry, given the raising concerns about emissions it produces. Logistics is a key component in the carbon footprint of food products, with emissions from infrastructures and means of transport significantly impacting the environment. In response to this, novel distribution practices within the food supply chain have emerged, aimed at reducing the impact of the product in its whole life cycle. Despite this, existing literature lacks a comprehensive framework that systematically summarises these evolving practices, with logistics often relegated to a peripheral role within broader green supply chain frameworks. This study aims to bridge this gap by developing a bespoke framework tailored specifically for sustainability practices in the logistics stage of food companies. The review of approximately 100 papers has produced useful insights. Firstly, theoretical lenses related to green supply chain management and systems theory are analysed to provide context. Secondly, empirical topics linked to green logistics practices used in the food industry are studied. Sustainability reports from various food companies have enriched the findings by integrating the framework with real-world implementations. The outcome is the compilation of a list of green practices classified in a novel taxonomy. The resultant framework classifies approximately 200 distinct practices, which span various categories, including network design, warehouse management, transport, packaging, reverse logistics, and offsetting strategies. Emphasis was placed on clarifying the role of Industry 4.0 technologies in enhancing logistics sustainability. The contribution of this study is both theoretical, as it fills the gap in the literature, and practical, as it gives managers actionable insights to facilitate their transition toward greener logistics practices. Future research could delve deeper into evaluating the effectiveness of these identified practices in terms of their tangible environmental impacts and in terms of their economic viability.