Circular and sustainable procurement in the Italian public healthcare: A Delphi study

Healthcare is vital for public health but significantly contributes to environmental degradation. Sustainable procurement can improve healthcare systems but systemic challenges constrain its implementation. This work explores motivators, practices and barriers to sustainable and circular procurement through a Delphi study conducted in the Italian public healthcare system. Findings reveal consensus on the relevance of environmental and economic drivers throughout the product lifecycle. Economic barriers, including cost-driven procurement priorities, cost of sustainable products and budget constraints, limit the uptake of sustainable procurement models, along with the limited importance of sustainability criteria in tenders and the lack of standardisation.