Sage publications inc.
This paper is aimed at introducing the concept
of reverse logistics (RL) and its implications for supply
chain management (SCM). RL is a research area focused
on the management of the recovery of products once they
are no longer desired (end-of-use products, EoU) or can
no longer be used (end-of-life products) by the consumers,
in order to obtain an economic value from the recovered
products. This way, RL has become a matter of strategic
importance, an element that companies are considering in
their decision-making processes related to the design and
development of their supply chains. In addition, a
description of the implications of RL for SCM will be
discussed and, finally, an analysis of some of the
opportunities and challenges that RL implies for SCM
will be presented.
