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Literature Review on Measuring Sustainable Performance in the Retail Sector: A Review of Energy Efficiency Strategies and Their Key Performance Indicators in Supermarkets

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The concept of sustainability in the supermarket sector has emerged as a strategic priority, as companies are required to reduce their environmental footprint and enhance their social and economic performance. The aim of this literature review is to identify, document, and analyze the key performance indicators (KPIs) applied in the sector, with emphasis on environmental, social, and economic dimensions, and to investigate the extent to which technical energy interventions are linked to business and consumer benefits. The methodology was inspired by the general logic of organized search and selection procedures, and for this reason, elements of the PRISMA framework were used, with a search conducted across multiple international scientific databases and selection criteria ensuring the validity and relevance of the sources. The analysis classified the indicators into the following three categories: environmental (e.g., CO2 emissions, energy consumption), social (e.g., customer satisfaction, corporate image), and economic (e.g., ESG score, return on investment). The study revealed substantial progress made by supermarket chains globally in adopting energy-efficiency technologies, such as LED lighting and renewable energy with proven benefits in reducing consumption and consequently, improving environmental performance. However, a lack of holistic integration between technical interventions and social-economic indicators was identified, limiting the use of KPIs as a strategic tool for guiding specific sustainability strategies. This research concludes that there is a need to develop unified, sector-specific measurement frameworks that integrate environmental, social, and economic parameters, as well as empirical research that quantitatively connects energy strategies with business and consumer performance through comparable indicators in the context of supermarket operations, thereby opening ground for further exploration of the field.

Source: Sustainability

DOI: 10.3390/su172411358

Authors: Marios Terzis, Katerina Gotzamani

Institutions: University of Macedonia, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Language: English

Topic: Environmental Sustainability in Business

Subfield: Marketing

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Responsible consumption and production, Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896