Systematic literature review of the factors of information sharing that enable circular procurement in the construction industry

Construction is a fundamental sector in most economies, and its high consumption of physical resources presents major opportunities for applying circular economy principles to minimise waste and improve sustainability. Procurement functions at the intersection of construction supply chains, managing design, purchasing, and material sourcing activities. Effective information sharing both within and between organisations is essential for embedding circular economy principles into procurement processes. This paper adopts a systematic literature review approach to identify and synthesise research on information sharing in circular procurement. Descriptive analysis outlines the research trends, theoretical and methodological orientations, and geographical distribution of studies, while synthesis categorises barriers and enablers of information sharing across micro, meso, and macro-organisational levels. Additionally, circular economy-related information and knowledge management activities, such as creation, dissemination, and application, are mapped against stages of the strategic procurement process and the Royal Institute of British Architects Plan of Work, strengthening the study’s relevance to construction practice. By integrating fragmented yet expanding bodies of literature, the paper provides a comprehensive understanding of how circular economy information and knowledge management intersect with procurement in construction. It offers a construction-specific framework that embeds circularity throughout the procurement lifecycle, with support from the Resource-Based View and Institutional theory and also identifies key organisational enablers and barriers. The review also highlights limited empirical and theoretical integration in current research and recommends future studies that apply behavioural and organisational theories to explore knowledge-sharing dynamics, examine policy impacts, and assess the role of technology and skills development in advancing circular procurement.