The retailing sector is evolving, not only as a result of technological advances, but also because of concerns about climate change and new demands from governments and customers for ethical and sustainable products. Customers’ purchase intentions are crucial for the successful implementation of circular business models. However, few studies focus on the role of customers in enabling circular business models. This study fills this research gap by identifying the critical factors that impact customers’ ethical purchase intentions for circular business models in the retail sector. Based on macro-theories of human behaviour, this study proposes a theoretical model that can holistically consider the critical factors and variables that determine customers’ ethical purchase intentions towards the circular business model. The paper contributes to the body of literature on circular business models in the retail sector by exploring the issue from the customers’ perspective.