PurposeThe purpose of this study is to systematically review the state-of-art literature on the net-zero economy in the field of supply chain management.Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature review of 79 articles published from 2009 to 2021 has been conducted to minimise the researchers' bias and maximise the reliability and replicability of the study.FindingsThe thematic analysis reveals that studies in the field of net-zero economy have mostly been done on decarbonisation in the supply chain, emission control and life cycle analysis and environmental and energy management. The findings highlight the strong positive association between digitalisation, circular economy and resources optimization practices with net-zero economy goals. The study also addresses the challenges linked with the net-zero economy at the firm and country levels.Research limitations/implicationsPractitioners in companies and academics might find this review valuable as this study reviews, classifies and analyses the studies, outlines the evolution of literature and offers directions for future studies using the theory, methodology and context (TMC) framework.Originality/valueThis is the first study that uses a structured approach to analyse studies done in the net-zero field by assessing publications from 2009 to 2021.