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Abstract This study presents a systematic literature review of overconsumption in the consumer context (OCC) to identify key research gaps that limit a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon and hinder the development of effective, context-specific sustainability solutions. Using the SPAR-4-SLR and PRISMA protocols, 119 peer-reviewed articles published between 2010 and 2024 were analysed. The review is organised using the Theory, Context, Characteristics, and Methods (TCCM) framework. Given that prior research on overconsumption remains fragmented across disciplines and contexts, this study adopts the Gioia methodology to enable a more structured and specific analysis. First-order concepts from the literature are systematically synthesised into higher-order themes and aggregate dimensions, allowing for a clearer conceptual consolidation of the field. This approach supports two analytical perspectives: a temporal lens, which traces the evolution of research trends and theoretical applications over time, and a contextual lens, which maps the diversity of consumption sectors, including both tangible and intangible forms of consumption. The review identifies four major gaps in current OCC research, particularly in relation to sustainability. First, existing sustainability frameworks addressing overconsumption are predominantly developed within tangible consumption contexts, while frameworks for intangible and digitally mediated consumption remain limited. Second, research attention is disproportionately concentrated in tangible sectors, while intangible consumption contexts remain both empirically underexplored and theoretically underdeveloped, representing the most significant blind spot in the current OCC literature. Third, the OCC literature lacks a domain-sensitive understanding of intervention effectiveness. While individual-level strategies such as nudges, self-control tools, and sustainability framing show measurable effects in tangible contexts, they often underperform in intangible and digital settings. In these environments, algorithm-driven and frictionless consumption systems tend to undermine individual control, a gap that remains both theoretically and practically underexplored. Four, methodological approaches remain limited, with a strong reliance on traditional survey-based methods, less capable of capturing the dynamic and hidden nature of overconsumption in digital environments. This study offers a structured synthesis of the OCC field and a clear research agenda. While tangible overconsumption can be addressed through existing tools, intangible overconsumption requires new frameworks and cross-disciplinary approaches. Advancing this agenda is essential for achieving SDG 12 and promoting sustainable consumption. The findings provide practical insights for policymakers and practitioners in designing more effective and targeted interventions to support sustainable consumption (SDG 12).
Abednego et al. (Mon,) studied this question.