Hershey’s Just Announced a Big Change To Its Prices

Lately, it’s becoming harder and harder to keep track of all the increasing prices at the grocery store. Just as egg prices are steadying out after a bird flu-induced shortage, other staples are becoming more expensive, like ground beef and coffee. And while tariffs are partially to blame for some products’ high price tags, they aren’t the only reason we’re seeing a spike. 

Hershey’s recently announced its plans to increase prices, and it’s not due to tariff policies. Instead, it’s because of cocoa prices in general. After a lower-than-average crop production in West Africa in 2024, cocoa prices began to soar at the end of last year. Experts predicted a 10 percent increase in chocolate prices throughout 2025—and Hershey’s is finally making the call to implement higher price tags.

Hershey’s Announces Plans to Raise Prices

The Hershey Company recently told its retailers that it plans to raise prices by a percentage in the “lower double-digit range,” according to CNN. While the company hasn’t given an exact percentage or dollar amount for the increase, it did address the price hike in a recent earnings call. 

“This month, Hershey announced a new price action on the entirety of our U.S. confection portfolio,” said Hershey’s CEO and Chairman, Michele Buck. “Our teams have been strategic and thoughtful about our relative value within our categories and broader consumption occasions. Over 75% of items in our portfolio remain under $4.”

Hershey’s entire chocolate lineup, from Kisses, Kit Kat, and Reese’s to Heath, Rolo, and Whoppers, will be impacted by this increase. While higher prices are never good news, there is some silver lining. Hershey’s says it won’t be increasing the prices of its Halloween or holiday candy.

“We will have a transition period for our retailers to adjust to these new prices, and we will protect key promotional events and important tentpoles for our customers and consumers who rely on Hershey’s diverse portfolio,” Buck said in the earnings call.

“The first season to be impacted will be Easter ’26,” Hershey’s Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Steven Voskuil, noted during the Q&A.

In addition to the price increase, Hershey’s announced it will be “[simplifying] packaging and product assortments and [optimizing] manufacturing efficiency to drive savings for Hershey and our customers,” according to Buck. This “Smart Complexity” initiative will expand on its updated
price pack architecture, which the company announced in its May earnings call. Essentially, this means Hershey’s plans to change its packaging—likely the amount of product in a package, aka “shrinkflation.” 

There’s still time to stock up on your favorite Hershey’s products now before the prices increase. And, hey, we already knew a Reese’s pumpkin from the freezer tastes just as delicious—so, maybe, you’ll just have to make room for a few extra bags this year.