Circular supply chains (CSCs) are essential elements for implementing circular practices. Accordingly, different approaches are available in academic literature that offer orientation among criteria for assessing CSC performance. Yet, implementing CSCs is an ongoing process and many companies find it difficult to plan short- and mid-term developments in the initial transition phase due to their complexity and dynamics. However, a preliminary literature review did not reveal any specific consideration of this issue in existing performance measurement systems. In order to assess and systematize the state of the literature on environmental, economic, and social performance assessment of SC transition with related assessment methods and detect research gaps, a systematic literature review (SLR) of peer-reviewed articles and conference proceedings published in the Scopus database (2015–2025) was conducted drawing on a Resource-Based View (RBV) and the lens of Transition Management Theory (TMT). First results show a focus on CSC assessment in post-implementation state, but the literature only marginally considers how key performance and sustainability measures, e.g. carbon footprint or cost-related indicators, develop during transition and how assessment results may vary in time. Accordingly, further research should be conducted to analyze the phase of CSC transition, which is expected to be particularly pronounced for slow-moving goods.