New Zealand shoppers at New World, Four Square and Pak'nSave supermarkets will be charged for plastic bags from today.

Foodstuffs, owner of the three supermarket chains, will charge shoppers five cents per plastic bag in a bid to cut down on the use of plastic bags and encourage use of reusable bags.

Shoppers at PAK'nSAVE in the North Island have been charged for bags for around 20 years.

A portion of the profits made from the sale of plastic bags will be donated to the Keep New Zealand Beautiful charity.

Foodstuffs uses around 270 million plastic bags each year, although a the business has cut use by 19 per cent in the past two years.