Challenges of circular economy assessment tools at the micro level: A bibliometric exploration and systematic review

The degree of circularity is related to the progress of circular economy (CE), particularly at the level of products, materials, companies, and consumers. In this context, metrics, indicators and assessment models may not fully capture the complexities of the system and its relationships. Despite several analyses of indicators and proposals for evaluation methods, few studies discuss in depth their limitations and challenges for implementation at the micro level. This article aims to identify the limitations and challenges associated with performance assessment methodologies to verify CE progress at the micro level and propose a researchagenda. The research design applied bibliometric analysis and a systematic literature review. Our results highlight five limitations, and the findings underscore that tools fail to embrace the systemic essence of CE. It represents a gap in assessment frameworks, highlighting the need for a more integrated and comprehensive approach to assessing the transition toward CE.