Sustainable procurement in the United Kingdom public sector
Abstract
Purpose: This study aims to investigate sustainable procurement in the UK public sector. Design/methodology/approach: Sustainable procurement is investigated using a questionnaire that draws on established scales for “purchasing social responsibility”. The survey was administered across the UK public sector, and 106 responses were received from procurement officers. Findings: Analysis of quantitative and qualitative survey data reveal there is significant variation across public sector agencies in the nature of sustainable procurement practice. Local authorities have a particularly strong emphasis on buying from local and small suppliers relative to other sectors, health looks generally lower in many categories, and education appears to have something of an emphasis on environmental aspects of sustainable procurement. Cost has been found to be the leading barrier to sustainable procurement, and top management support the leading facilitator. Research limitations/implications: There is likely to be selection bias in the sample, with those practitioners engaging in the sustainability agenda being more likely to have responded to the questionnaire. The United Kingdom government has an objective amongst the leaders in Europe on sustainable procurement by 2009, and early signs are encouraging that progress towards this goal is underway. Originality/value: This paper provides the first survey of sustainable procurement practices across the UK public sector. It also provides a conceptual framework of influences upon the propensity to engage in sustainable procurement practice.
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The group composed of four works that consolidated the field are Parikka-Alhola (2008), Walker and Brammer (2009), Preuss (2009) and Michelsen and de Boer (2009).
“Figure5also shows the group composed of four works that consolidated the field, namely, Parikka-Alhola (2008).Walker and Brammer (2009),Preuss (2009) and Michelsen and de Boer (2009).”
From Green public procurement as an effective way for sustainable development: A systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis (2025) · cites this paper as Walker and Brammer (2009)
A lack of policies and guidelines for sustainable procurement, limited resources, high costs of sustainable goods, and inadequate knowledge of available options need to be addressed to enhance the implementation of GPP.
“Furthermore, a lack of policies and guidelines for sustainable procurement, limited resources, high costs of sustainable goods (Walker & Brammer, 2009), and inadequate knowledge of available options need to be addressed to enhance the implementation of GPP (Leal Filho et al., 2019).”
From Green public procurement as an effective way for sustainable development: A systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis (2025) · cites this paper as Walker & Brammer, 2009
Lack of policy and guidelines is a barrier to GPP.
“Lack of policy and guidelines Walker and Brammer (2009)”
From Green public procurement as an effective way for sustainable development: A systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis (2025) · cites this paper as Walker and Brammer (2009)
High costs of sustainable goods is a barrier to GPP.
“High costs of sustainable goods Walker and Brammer (2009)”
From Green public procurement as an effective way for sustainable development: A systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis (2025) · cites this paper as Walker and Brammer (2009)
Priority conflicts is a barrier to GPP.
“Priority conflicts Walker and Brammer (2009)”
From Green public procurement as an effective way for sustainable development: A systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis (2025) · cites this paper as Walker and Brammer (2009)
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Sustainable procurement in the public sector: an international comparative study
Brammer, S., & Walker, H. (2011) · International Journal of Operations & Production Management · doi:10.1108/01443571111119551 · Cited by 731 · see citing works
Self-citationTheories in sustainable supply chain management: A structured literature review
Touboulic, A., & Walker, H. (2015) · International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management · doi:10.1108/ijpdlm-05-2013-0106 · Cited by 688 · see citing works
Self-citationReview of green and sustainable public procurement: Towards circular public procurement
Sönnichsen, S. D., & Clement, J. (2020) · Journal of Cleaner Production · doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118901 · Cited by 322 · see citing works
The relationship between sustainable procurement and e-procurement in the public sector
Walker, H., & Brammer, S. (2012) · International Journal of Production Economics · doi:10.1016/j.ijpe.2012.01.008 · Cited by 292 · see citing works
Self-citationExploiting the potential of public procurement: opportunities for circular economy
Alhola, K., Ryding, S. O., Salmenperä, H., & Busch, N. J. (2019) · Journal of Industrial Ecology · doi:10.1111/jiec.12770 · Cited by 284 · see citing works
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Zhu, Q., Geng, Y., & Sarkis, J. (2013) · Journal of Environmental Management · doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2013.04.009 · Cited by 209 · see citing works
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Leal Filho, W., Skouloudis, A., Brandli, L. L., Salvia, A. L., Avila, L. V., & Rayman-Bacchus, L. (2019) · Journal of Cleaner Production · doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.05.202 · Cited by 130 · see citing works
Grandia, J., & Voncken, D. (2019) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su11195215 · Cited by 107 · see citing works
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Rosell, J. (2021) · Journal of Cleaner Production · doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.123710 · Cited by 92 · see citing works
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Social return on investment in the public sector
Vluggen, R., Kuijpers, R., Semeijn, J., & Gelderman, C. J. (2020) · Journal of Public Procurement · doi:10.1108/jopp-06-2018-0023 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
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- Authors
- Walker, H., & Brammer, S.
- Affiliations
- University of Warwick (GB)
- University of Bath (GB)
- Venue
- Supply Chain Management: An International Journal
- Publisher
- Emerald
- Published
- 2009-03-13
- Volume
- 14
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 128-137
- ISSN
- 1359-8546 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1972888608
- Cited by
- 603
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 33 · 2025: 35 · 2024: 36 · 2023: 30 · 2022: 48 · 2021: 46 · 2020: 43 · 2019: 49 · 2018: 34 · 2017: 40 · 2016: 40 · 2015: 45 · 2014: 41 · 2013: 29 · 2012: 33
- FWCI
- 49.97
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Supply Chain Management An International Journal (publishedVersion)
- The University of Bath Online Publications Store (The University of Bath) (submittedVersion)
- University of Birmingham Research Portal (University of Birmingham) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Strategy and Management › Public Procurement and Policy
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Strategy and Management › Sustainable Supply Chain Management
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Marketing › Environmental Sustainability in Business
- Keywords
- sustainable procurement, public procurement, local government, health sector, education sector, environmental procurement, cost barriers, top management support, procurement officers, United Kingdom public sector
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