Eco-Efficiency Indicators: A Literature Review and Analysis

As sustainability was declared a priority goal of modern society, the basis for the assessment of Service- or Product-Service Systems is fundamental. The objective of this article is to identify and systematically categorize environmental and economic indicators, which are frequently highly cited in articles and proceedings. As eco-efficiency relates to both environmental impact and economic value, the indicators for each dimension have to be identified and selected in advance. In the case of Service- and Product-Service Systems, there is no overview of possible eco-efficiency indicators for the assessment. Therefore, this research aims to identify environmental and economic eco-efficiency indicators for the evaluation of Service- and Product-Service Systems. We searched Web of Science and Dimensions (1999–30 September 2025) and included 54 studies after screening. A systematic literature review was conducted, which resulted in the collection of 49 environmental and 25 economic indicators. These indicators were then grouped into twelve indicator groups and evaluated descriptively. Furthermore, the study reveals that eco-efficiency indicators for Services or Product-Service Systems are implemented to a limited extent. The co-occurrence analysis reveals a core-periphery-like structure. Environmental indicators form a dense core, while economic indicators are barely connected and weakly linked to the environmental dimension, indicating a fragmented and only partially integrated eco-efficiency assessment practice.