SHANGHAI - British retail giant Tesco PLC will open 16 energy-efficient stores in China in 2012, a senior company official said Friday.

Lucy Neville-Rolfe, executive director of Tesco, made the remarks in an interview with reporters before attending a forum on sustainable development in retail businesses in Shanghai.

She said Tesco has opened 110 outlets and 14 small convenience stores so far in China. Since 2008 all newly-opened and renovated outlets have reached the target of reducing energy consumption by 25 percent, the same target intended for the company's new stores in China.

The company has made efforts to adopt energy-saving storage and logistics technology, as well as expand its local purchasing chain, Neville-Rolfe said, adding that it plans to introduce online grocery shopping for local residents in Shanghai.