This bibliometric analysis aims to study the scholarly literature on consumer credit. The purpose of this paper is to examine the consumer credit literature thoroughly over the last decade (2015–2025) and compare the nature of the literature before and after 2020.
The authors used the Web of Science database for data collection. The final dataset comprised 1,563 research papers. The data was analyzed using the Bibliometrix software. The authors applied performance and citation analysis, intellectual structure analysis and conceptual and thematic mapping.
The main results revealed that emerging concepts, such as fintech innovations and buy now, pay later schemes, are gaining attention and shaping the future of consumer credit research. After COVID-19, the literature focused more on two areas: the effects of credit on consumer spending and consumption and consumer behavior.
This study uniquely focuses on the evolution of consumer credit by combining quantitative bibliometric indicators with qualitative thematic analysis. Unlike prior studies that tend to focus on specific aspects or regions, this study systematically maps the intellectual, conceptual and social structure of the consumer credit domain on a global scale.
