PodParley PodParley
PodParley
Returns at a Crossroads: The State of Reverse Logistics & Circularity episode artwork

EPISODE · Feb 25, 2026 · 53 MIN

Returns at a Crossroads: The State of Reverse Logistics & Circularity

from Supply Chain Now · host Supply Chain Now

Returns are no longer just a headache, they’re a strategic opportunity. As the circular economy gains momentum, reverse logistics is quickly becoming one of the most important levers in modern supply chains.In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott W. Luton and Deborah Dull are joined by Scot Case, Vice President of Sustainability at the National Retail Federation (NRF), and Tony Sciarrotta, Senior Director of Reverse Logistics and Circularity at NRF, to share key insights from the NRF Rev event and discuss why reverse logistics deserves a seat at the strategy table.The conversation explores how resale, repair, and recycling are moving into the mainstream, and why returns should no longer be treated as a cost center. From the surge in e-commerce returns to increasing legislative pressure through extended producer responsibility, the group breaks down how these forces are changing retail and supply chain operations.Deborah adds perspective on how technology improves visibility and accountability across the returns process. Together, the guests outline practical ways companies can turn reverse logistics into a competitive advantage while improving customer experience and advancing sustainability goals.Jump into the conversation:(00:00) Intro(02:31) Meet the guests: Scot Case and Tony Sciarrotta(06:31) NRF’s sustainability mission: Business value meets reverse logistics(10:46) RLA + NRF: Bringing returns out of the “dark side”(15:22) Macro trends shaping reverse logistics: Reuse, resale, repair & more(20:40) Tariffs, EPR laws & the circular economy’s next push(24:52) Inside NRF Rev: The reverse logistics & revenue “revolution” event(26:05) NRF Rev: Bringing reverse logistics into the spotlight(27:32) Why retailers are the center of the returns universe(28:18) Refurbished products mindset shift: The ‘restaurant fork’ story(29:24) Deborah’s practitioner lens: Why this conference matters(31:00) Key takeaways: Collaboration, EPR, and no single silver bullet(34:04) Urban mining & the resale economy (and why brands must engage)(36:32) What’s next: NRF working groups, global scale, and policy influence(40:16) Remade in America: A story-driven podcast on ‘where returns go’Additional Links & Resources:Connect with Scot Case: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scotcase/Connect with Tony Sciarrotta: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-sciarrotta-235570/Connect with Deborah Dull: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahdull/Learn more about the National Retail Federation (NRF): https://nrf.comLearn more about NRF Rev: https://nrfrev.com/Learn more about Trillium Digital Services: https://trillium.digital/Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/aboutLearn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.comWatch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-nowSubscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/joinWork with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVkWEBINAR- Supply Chain Planning Reimagined: Embedded AI that senses, explains, and optimizes: https://bit.ly/4pOGgyoWEBINAR- ChatGPT Is Just the Beginning for Shipping: https://bit.ly/3YLFGq7This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Deborah Dull and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/returns-crossroads-state-reverse-logistics-circularity-1550 The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at [email protected]© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What this episode covers

Returns are no longer just a headache, they’re a strategic opportunity. As the circular economy gains momentum, reverse logistics is quickly becoming one of the most important levers in modern supply chains.In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott W. Luton and Deborah Dull are joined by Scot Case, Vice President of Sustainability at the National Retail Federation (NRF), and Tony Sciarrotta, Senior Director of Reverse Logistics and Circularity at NRF, to share key insights from the NRF Rev event and discuss why reverse logistics deserves a seat at the strategy table.The conversation explores how resale, repair, and recycling are moving into the mainstream, and why returns should no longer be treated as a cost center. From the surge in e-commerce returns to increasing legislative pressure through extended producer responsibility, the group breaks down how these forces are changing retail and supply chain operations.Deborah adds perspective on how technology improves visibility and accountability across the returns process. Together, the guests outline practical ways companies can turn reverse logistics into a competitive advantage while improving customer experience and advancing sustainability goals.Jump into the conversation:(00:00) Intro(02:31) Meet the guests: Scot Case and Tony Sciarrotta(06:31) NRF’s sustainability mission: Business value meets reverse logistics(10:46) RLA + NRF: Bringing returns out of the “dark side”(15:22) Macro trends shaping reverse logistics: Reuse, resale, repair & more(20:40) Tariffs, EPR laws & the circular economy’s next push(24:52) Inside NRF Rev: The reverse logistics & revenue “revolution” event(26:05) NRF Rev: Bringing reverse logistics into the spotlight(27:32) Why retailers are the center of the returns universe(28:18) Refurbished products mindset shift: The ‘restaurant fork’ story(29:24) Deborah’s practitioner lens: Why this conference matters(31:00) Key takeaways: Collaboration, EPR, and no single silver bullet(34:04) Urban mining & the resale economy (and why brands must engage)(36:32) What’s next: NRF working groups, global scale, and policy influence(40:16) Remade in America: A story-driven podcast on ‘where returns go’Additional Links & Resources:Connect with Scot Case: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scotcase/Connect with Tony Sciarrotta: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-sciarrotta-235570/Connect with Deborah Dull: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahdull/Learn more about the National Retail Federation (NRF): https://nrf.comLearn more about NRF Rev: https://nrfrev.com/Learn more about Trillium Digital Services: https://trillium.digital/Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/aboutLearn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.comWatch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-nowSubscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/joinWork with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVkWEBINAR- Supply Chain Planning Reimagined: Embedded AI that senses, explains, and optimizes: https://bit.ly/4pOGgyoWEBINAR- ChatGPT Is Just the Beginning for Shipping: https://bit.ly/3YLFGq7This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Deborah Dull and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/returns-crossroads-state-reverse-logistics-circularity-1550

NOW PLAYING

Returns at a Crossroads: The State of Reverse Logistics & Circularity

0:00 53:42

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

Why Live and Evergreen Models Both Fall Short

Feb 4, 2026 ·18m

Similar Podcasts

Chewing the Fat with WorkForge WorkForge Bite-Sized Conversations for Building a Stronger Workforce Welcome to Chewing the Fat, a podcast delving deep into the world of food manufacturing. Dive into real conversations around critical topics like staffing, retention, onboarding, and career development in this essential industry. Subscribe now to gain insights from your peers, subject matter experts and more on the biggest issues facing food manufacturers today: -Hiring and retaining employees -Addressing the challenges of the Silver Tsunami -Improving time to productivity of new employees -Engaging employees from hire to retire And more... Tune in to Chewing the Fat, a WorkForge podcast, and join the conversation on how to build and sustain a resilient, high-performing workforce in food manufacturing. The Course Mentors Podcast The Course Mentors Hey there, future course creator!Ever feel like turning your know-how into an online course is like trying to solve a Rubik's cube blindfolded? Well, grab your headphones because "The Course Mentors Podcast" is here to be your secret weapon!Meet Aimee and Odette (that's us!), your new best friends in the course creation world. We've been in the trenches for over a decade, and for the last five years, we've been rocking the online course space. Now we're here to spill all our secrets in bite-sized, 15-20 minute episodes that'll fit perfectly in your coffee breaks.No fluff, no filler - just real, actionable advice that'll take you from "um, what's a landing page?" to "holy moly, I just hit six figures!". We're talking everything from crafting your course to marketing it like a pro and building a business that'll have you pinching yourself.Whether you're dreaming of ditching the 9-to-5 grind, adding a sweet extra income str NEWMORROW SESSIONS - A PodCast Series on the Future of Hospitality Mario C. Bauer, Florian Schneider, Axel Weber & Dr. Tillman Bardt The Newmorrow PodCast is more than a podcast — it's a platform for open dialog on the future of our business, a platform for those building what doesn’t exist yet. Here, we share and embrace our passion for the hospitality industry, but we won’t romanticize the journey. We ask the tough questions, confront uncomfortable truths, and prepare for a future that resists easy answers. We believe that the tougher and wilder times become, the more openly, honestly and humanely people need to talk to each other and act together. We believe, openness, togetherness, and truthfulness should also be cornerstones of a professional community to develop our utopian idea of „open source“. This is a space where visionaries don’t just imagine the future — they wrestle with the paradoxes that shape it: success vs. happiness, data vs. instinct, stability vs. reinvention. Join leaders, entrepreneurs, and thinkers as they share not what made them — but what’s actively shaping them, now and next. So tune in FEAR NOTHING and Have Lots of Fun with Carlie Lara Wallace carlielara Welcome to The Fear Nothing and Have Lots of Fun Podcast!! We get vulnerable, we have fun, and there’s always a bit of the gospel! These episodes detail all that God is doing in my life right now, and what I’m learning through these experiences. NEW EPISODES come out every Wednesday at 6:05am for those hump day early risers!

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Supply Chain Now?

This episode is 53 minutes long.

When was this Supply Chain Now episode published?

This episode was published on February 25, 2026.

What is this episode about?

Returns are no longer just a headache, they’re a strategic opportunity. As the circular economy gains momentum, reverse logistics is quickly becoming one of the most important levers in modern supply chains.In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott...

Can I download this Supply Chain Now episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!