A New Zealand woman has been arrested in Bali after stealing $17 worth of chocolate.

Charlotte Piho, 30, was arrested on Tuesday at a supermarket in the upmarket area of Seminyak, the Herald on Sunday reports.

She has admitted putting the chocolate in her bag as she wandered through the shop. Ms Piho says she intended to pay for it, but walked out through the checkout aisle without doing so.

Police were called and Ms Piho was detained overnight.

She was released after a friend paid an unknown amount of money.

Ms Piho, who is from Auckland, said she was astonished that she was taken into custody for such a "silly little mistake".