Mapping the evolution of ESG research in the retail sector: A bibliometric and conceptual analysis

This study provides a comprehensive bibliometric assessment of the scientific literature on “ESG retail” published between 2011 and 2024, mapping the field’s conceptual evolution, thematic consolidation, and emerging research directions. Using the Web of Science Core Collection and VOSviewer for keyword co-occurrence analysis, the investigation reveals that ESG retail has transitioned from an underdeveloped topic into a mature interdisciplinary domain shaped fundamentally by the European sustainable-finance regulatory framework. The analysis identifies a coherent tripartite structure centred on: corporate performance and sustainability evaluation; investor behaviour and ethical investment motivations; and informational integrity, disclosure quality, and greenwashing risk. The chronological progression of concepts demonstrates a clear shift from early ethical considerations to methodological standardisation, disclosure consolidation and governance-oriented perspectives following the adoption of SFDR, EU Taxonomy, MiFID II, CSRD and ESRS. The findings confirm that ESG retail constitutes a stable and integrated analytical ecosystem aligned with SDG 8, SDG 12 and SDG 16, with research increasingly oriented toward materiality assessment, data comparability and sustainability-reporting governance. The study also highlights the replicability of the bibliometric model and acknowledges methodological limitations arising from database selection and keyword constraints.