Capital Mall Crystal, a Beijing-based green shopping mall  Photo via People's Daily

With another 72 shopping malls newly enlisted, the number of green shopping malls in China has reached 157 by the end of 2018, as the nation calls on residents and businesses to go green.

Green shopping malls, as the name implies, are built or reconstructed with low carbon-dioxide material and energy-saving designs. They sell eco-friendly products and fully recycle their waste, according to the Ministry of Commerce (MOC), which launched the campaign to promote green shopping malls in 2016.

Capital Mall Crystal, a Beijing-based green shopping mall on the list, is equipped with a smart building management system to guarantee effective and energy-saving management of the shopping mall’s air conditioning and lighting.

According to the MOC, electricity consumption among the first 85 green shopping malls dropped 6.37% between January and November last year. The eco-friendly way of management also brought more profits to the malls, yielding 113.88 billion yuan in sales, up 5.06%.

With the improvement of living standards, more people are demanding green and healthy food as well as a more eco-friendly lifestyle, making green shopping malls more preferable and appealing choices.

In October 2018, the State Council also issued guidance to further encourage eco-friendly retail industry development, such as green shopping malls and green supermarkets.