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Rebound Effects in Circular Manufacturing: Overview of Potential Rebound Mechanisms Activated by Circular Strategies Across Key Business Processes

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT Circular economy (CE) is increasingly adopted by the manufacturing industry to decouple economic growth from environmental impacts by optimizing resource use and minimizing waste generation. Nevertheless, circular manufacturing often triggers systemic responses that diminish or offset their potential environmental gains, resulting in the so‐called rebound effects (REs). To address the limited understanding of REs within circular manufacturing, the present paper aims to identify the rebound mechanisms triggered by CE strategies within manufacturing business processes. In addition to contributing to a clearer and more comprehensive understanding of how CE strategies are implemented across manufacturing business processes, this paper describes how circular strategies might inadvertently trigger rebound mechanisms and lead to REs. In particular, the paper provides practical examples of REs triggered by CE strategies and offers a foundation for future research aimed at mitigating REs in the context of circular manufacturing.

Source: Business Strategy and the Environment

DOI: 10.1002/bse.70562

Authors: Mariantonietta Ferrante, Claudio Sassanelli, Daniela C. A. Pigosso

Institutions: Polytechnic University of Bari, Technical University of Denmark, École nationale des ponts et chaussées

Language: English

Topic: Sustainable Supply Chain Management

Subfield: Strategy and Management

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,480