Circular Economy in the Agri-Food System at the Country Level—Evidence from European Countries

Fahimeh Khatami (), Enrico Cagno and Rayeheh Khatami
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Fahimeh Khatami: Department of Management and Technology, DIRB Research Centre, Bocconi University, Via Guglielmo Röntgen, 1, 20136 Milan, Italy
Enrico Cagno: Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Via Lambruschini 4/B—Building 26/B, 20156 Milano, Italy
Rayeheh Khatami: Department of Urban Planning and Design, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad 91871-47578, Iran

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 21, 1-16

Abstract: The circular economy is a tangible paradigm in response to the unsustainable model of production and consumption of resources in the agri-food system. The circular economy allows for a reduction in the environmental impact through the minimization of food waste or the maximal generation of renewable energy from waste. Despite the relevance, in the extant literature, there are scant indications on how to apply circular business models in agri-food systems. Hence, the paper aims to analyze the circular economy implementation level in the agri-food system in 29 European countries, focusing on specific circular economy strategies. Selected indicators were analyzed to evaluate the level of circular economy implementation in the agri-food system (e.g., production values, energy sharing from renewable sources, and total waste emission) using a Panel data analysis method. The required variables were gained from the global databases within the recent five years (2014–2018). The results reveal an overall lack of circular economy implementation in the agri-food systems among European countries. A set of 12 managerial propositions was suggested to foster the implementation of the circular business models by interacting the recycling, extending, intensifying, and dematerializing strategies with aspects of the production process, waste emission, and renewable energy sharing in the agri-food system.

Keywords: circular economy; agri-food; food production; food waste; panel data analysis; European countries (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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