ComplaintsforThe Hershey Company

• Initial Complaint

  05/31/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  5/11/2023 is the transaction date, and 5/17/2023 is the delivery date. I paid $39.99 for '****'s Extra Dark Salted Caramel Chocolate Bar, 2.8 oz, 12-Pack.' Consumption of this product makes me feel nauseous, accompanied by headaches. My family members who consumed it also felt ill. Previously, my family and I never had a problem with dark chocolate. Upon investigation, it has been reported that Hershey's/****** chocolate contains high levels of lead and cadmium, which could explain the symptoms mentioned above. One of the many available sources online supporting this information can be found at: [**************************************************************************************************]. According to the report, ****'s Extra Dark Chocolate contains 144% lead and 42% cadmium.I kindly request a refund or a replacement with the non-extra dark version of the product I ordered, specifically the '****** Salted Caramel  Milk Chocolate Style Bar, 2.8 oz, 12-Pack.' This alternative poses a lower risk of high levels of lead and cadmium.

  Business response

  05/31/2023

  
  Dear *****:
  
  Thank you for contacting us back at The Hershey Company.  We are sorry to learn you were disappointed with our response. 
  
  We apologize for the problem you experienced with our product.  You will receive reimbursement by postal mail in two weeks.    
  
  Thanks again, *****, for taking the time to write and for expressing your concerns.  We always value the feedback we receive from our consumers.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****
  Consumer Response Representative
  The Hershey Company
  
  Case#: ********
  

• Initial Complaint

  04/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Hello, I purchased 2 bags of Heath Minature bars, share size bag 8oz. on 4/1/2023, the lot # is ********** under that it says 05:14 BB 03 2024. I got home last night and ate some during a movie, I then feel like I am chewing on glass and run to the bathroom and spit out what looks and feels like black glass, it reminded me of that or black shards of charcoal. I have no clue what this is and am terrified. I bought 2 bags and opened the 2nd one and rinsed the chocolate off 3 of the bars and you can clearly see the black shards in the candy. I have no clue what I ingested and am worried for others who bought these. I bought them from a ****** ******* in LaPorte, IN. These need tested to see what is in them and to be recalled. This is terrifying. I ate glass or whatever this is. My stomach is hurting and cramping I am so scared. I tried calling Hershey to let them know and they are closed today. I contacted the FDA and my local health department. I just want others to know so this doesn't happen to them I am heading to the dr to make sure I don't have any metal/charcoal in me or that has cut me internally. I did not take the receipt because it was just 2 bags of candy. I am going to the store today and getting it reprinted. I will contact you and give you the receipt as well.

  Business response

  04/04/2023

  Dear *********:
  
  Thank you for contacting us about HEATH Toffee Bar. We are sorry to learn of your disappointment and appreciate you bringing this to our attention.
  
  A great deal of care is used in our manufacturing and packaging processes to make sure our consumers receive quality products. The black pieces are actually burnt pieces of toffee and this has occurred during manufacturing.  We appreciate your sharing your photos and the information you provided has been reported to our Quality Assurance Team.   
  
  We apologize for the problem you experienced with our product. Coupon reimbursement is being sent by postal mail; please allow two weeks for delivery.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****
  Consumer Representative

  The Hershey Company
  
  Case#: ********

  Customer response

  04/04/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because it does not seem possible that the black shards are burnt toffee. They are identical look and feel of glass. They literally cut me. I already had contacted the FDA  for testing on the item because I'm terrified of what I ingested. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *****************************
  

• Initial Complaint

  02/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Purchased four packages ******* peanut butter cups. Package is not tasting right. Cold phone number on bag customer service for ********************. Woman was rude condescending and unhelpful first promised me $20 refund for four bags then took it back then tried to force coupons. I am a diabetic I don't eat candy the bags were for my mother and assisted living. I have since set my mother up on auto delivery from another company. I would like the $20 refund that was first promised me before the representative became very rude and untruthful. I am a good customer taking the grandkids to ******************** **** twice a summer. Please get me my $20 refund for the four bags of ******* Peanut Butter Cups that were inedible. Thank you

  Business response

  02/03/2023

  Dear *****,

  Thank you for sharing your experience with our product.  

  Unfortunately, we were unable to find a record of your initial call to our Consumer Relations department.  While we are sorry to learn that the product you purchased was not satisfactory, we are unable to offer check reimbursement without evidence of your purchase.  We can offer you coupon reimbursement for your purchase.  We do offer a variety of zero sugar products and baking products.  

  We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to hearing from you.

  Sincerely,

  ****

   

  Case ******** 

  Customer response

  02/15/2023

  
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  Put on hold 17 minutes This Complaint is not resolved . I cannot eat Use coupons I am shipping Is out shortly for Ukraine I have told this company over and over I do not want coupons I want my money return to me the woman dropped off communication I called the company again today was put on hold 17 minutes and spoke to rudely by somebody by the name of ********. I am looking for contact by the corporate office not the representatives on the customer service line the *****r Business Bureau is putting me on with. They are condescending an unprofessional. I want my $20 return to me. I have told this company over and over I do not have a receipt it's been too long now. I am being treated poorly and I have been a fan of Hershey's and ******* **** for many years I am going to rethink this

  Regards,
  
  ***** *****  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  Business response

  02/16/2023

  Dear *****:
  
  Thanks for contacting us back.
  
  We are reaching out because we tried reaching you by phone and were unable to reach you.  We have already sent coupon reimbursement because you spoke to one of our representatives and agreed to this form of reimbursement.  
  
  However, we received another Better Business Bureau complaint that you rejected this offer of reimbursement. 
  
  We are sorry to see that this is not the first time you have had a problem with our products. Please be assured that producing quality products for our consumers to enjoy is the standard that we've set for ourselves. If you encounter any problems in the future, we will require you to return the product in its original wrapper, along with a dated sales receipt indicating the place of purchase for reimbursement to be considered.
  
  We will send a check reimbursement to the address you provided as a one-time courtesy to resolve this complaint. 
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****
  Consumer Representative
  The Hershey Company
  
  Case#: ********
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  11/11/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Your order number is ********* Order placed on 10/11/22 Placed this order on 10/11/22 for $55.20. They kept pushing back the shipping date, so I canceled the order on 11/1/22. I emailed them again on 11/7/22 asking about my refund and they said it would be 24-48 hours. They still have not given me my refund as of 11/11/22.

  Business response

  12/13/2022

  Dear *********,

  The Hershey Company has forwarded the complaint to the third-party vendor, ***** ******, who operates the online store for a resolution.  We apologize for the delayed response.  We thought the matter was resolved.  Please feel free to reach out to us by phone at ************ or by email at [email protected] and refer to Case# ********.  

  We appreciate your patience as we work through this delay.

  Have a sweet day!

  Jill ;

• Initial Complaint

  11/09/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased 4 party size bags of York Peppermint Patties. The bags arrived today, and because we need the wrapped candies for favors, the individual candies were counted. All four bags contained significantly less that what they should have. We are so frustrated and disappointed. I have tried reaching out to Hershey in multiple ways. By text, I got a "no one is available" reply. By chat, I got a "finding agent" message, but no one responded. By email, the contact form would not allow me to finish filling in the details. By phone, a women answered sounding very distant with a bad connection. She let me know I could call back. Honestly, across the board, this is a really bad experience with Hershey. Please see the attached photos for the codes of the 4 bags I purchased.

  Business response

  11/10/2022

  Dear *******,
  
  Thank you for contacting The Hershey Company about your recent purchase of YORK Peppermint Patties. I'm sorry to learn of your disappointment and appreciate you bringing this to our attention and sharing the photo.
  
  Additionally, we apologize for the issue you encountered while attempting to reach out to us.
  
  A great deal of care is used in our manufacturing and packaging processes to ensure our consumers receive quality products. Occasionally, a problem such as you described can occur due to the high-speed automation used in packaging our products. We have reported the information you provided to our Quality Assurance Team.
  
  Since product quality is our top priority, please provide the following information so that we can complete our report:
  
  - Product count for the bags you received
  
  - Name and location of the store where you purchased the product along with purchase date
  
  - Amount paid so that we may send you appropriate reimbursement
  
  Please reply to this email to provide us with this additional information.
  
  If you prefer to call us toll-free, we can be reached at ************** to provide the above information. Our office hours are 8:00 am - 9:00 pm Eastern Time Monday through Friday. When a Consumer Representative answers, please indicate you are calling regarding Reference Number ********.
  
  We value your loyalty to our products and we look forward to hearing from you.
  
  Have a sweet day!
  
  Jill
  Consumer Representative
  Reference Number: ********
  

  Customer response

  11/10/2022

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: 

  I spoke with a customer service representative this morning, and she did not resolve the issue. She told me that a supervisor would call me, but I am still waiting for that call.

  I was told this morning that a supervisor would be calling me, and I still am waiting on that call. 
  
  Regards,
  *******************************

  Business response

  11/16/2022

  Dear *******,

  Thanking you for reaching out to us and confirming the piece size for each bag.  

  I apologize for any confusion this may have caused. This product is packaged strictly by weight, not by count. The nutritional statement is the approximate count for nutritional purposes only. The weight of the bag would be the net weight stated on the package.  Each individual piece can vary in weight. If they are running slightly heavier, there will be less in your package. If they are running slightly lighter, there will be more in your package. Therefore, you may not always have the same amount in each package / bag. That difference can account for the difference in the approximate servings per container.

  We are sorry to learn you were disappointed with our response. A supervisor has attempted to reach you by phone several times.  As we greatly appreciate your loyalty as a consumer, we've made arrangements to send you a few complimentary coupons. These coupons should arrive within two weeks by postal mail and can be used toward any Hershey Company product listed on the coupon.
  
  Once again, we apologize that your previous purchase and our response did not meet your expectations.  We hope your next experience with our products is as good as always.

  Sincerely,

  Jill

  Consumer Representative
  Reference Number: ********

• Initial Complaint

  11/01/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I bought 2 bags of Hershey miniatures special dark. The chocolate is dried out and discolored. The date is BB 03 2023 but the quality is definitely not up to par. The taste is just off. * ***** ***** *.

  Business response

  11/29/2022

  Dear *****,
  
  Thank you for contacting us about HERSHEYS MINIATURES SPECIAL DARK Assortment. I'm sorry to learn of your disappointment and appreciate you bringing this to our attention.
  
  We apologize for the problem you experienced with our product and have shared your feedback with our Quality Assurance Team. Coupon reimbursement is being sent by postal mail; please allow two weeks for delivery.
  
  We believe the product you have purchased was exposed to excessive heat or humidity in distribution. These conditions can affect the appearance, texture, and flavor of the product.
  Product quality is our top priority. To help us complete our report, please provide the following information:
  
  - Manufacturing code stamped on the package (this is a series of numbers and letters)
  
  - Name and location of the store where you purchased the product along with purchase date
  
  Please reply to this email to provide us with this additional information.
  
  We value your loyalty to our products.
  
  Have a sweet day!
  
  Jill
  Consumer Representative
  Reference Number: ********

• Initial Complaint

  08/02/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On July 22nd I emailed the business with a picture of coupons they had mailed me and told them I tried to use them before the expiration date on Hershey's sugar free chocolates but was unsuccessful. These were products of Hersheys and I should have been able to use them but the store's system was not accepting them. I then kindly asked if they would please mail me replacement coupons. On July 25th, they stated the following In regard to your request, regretfully, we are unable to replace the coupons. We have reviewed your case, and we see that we have replaced your coupons at least three times in the past two years, for a total of $121. I responded within only an hour and told them I don't know why theyre even mentioning the total of all the coupons theyve sent. The total is irrelevant because I have not used them and my pictures show dates of expiration being prior to me emailing them, with even time stamps to prove when the pictures were taken. It hasnt cost them $121 because I havent used them! And I haven't been able to use them because there is always an issue. And that's not my fault. Maybe if their coupons were processed the way they should be in the first place, I would've been able to use them the first time around It has now been over a week and they have not responded, even after I resent my email on July 28th. The business owes me an explanation as to why there is always an issue whenever I try to use their coupons, which makes them completely worthless.. And they need to mail me the $24 worth of coupons they owe me And maybe greater than $3 each would be a little helpful

  Business response

  08/16/2022

  Dear ****,
  
  Thanks for reaching out again about this issue. We apologize for the confusion concerning your request for replacement coupons.  
  
  We are sorry to hear that you are encountering an issue while attempting to redeem our company's coupons.  As you already know, we do not determine which stores accept manufacturer coupons. However, we suggest trying *******, ****** and large grocery store chains who have a more inclusive policy.
  
  Once again, we apologize that our response did not meet your expectations.  We hope your next experience redeeming our coupons is as good as always.  You will receive replacement coupons by postal mail in two weeks.    
  Please be assured that producing quality products for our consumers to enjoy is the standard that we've set for ourselves. If you encounter any problems in the future, we will request the return of the expired coupons by postal mail.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Jill
  Consumer Representative
  Reference Number: ********
  

  Customer response

  08/24/2022

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************
  

• Initial Complaint

  04/27/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I recently bought a party sized pack of sweet and chocolate candies and around 1/6th of the candies were broken or shattered, and some of them were even opened with the shattered bits of candy loose in the bag. This is not what I expect from Hershey and I am very frustrated that I paid money to receive this product.

  Business response

  05/16/2022

  Dear ****,
  
  Thank you for contacting us about HERSHEY'S Candy Assortment. I'm sorry to learn of your disappointment and appreciate you bringing this to our attention.
  
  We apologize for the problem you experienced with our product and have shared your feedback with our Quality Assurance Team. Coupon reimbursement is being sent by postal mail; please allow two weeks for delivery.
  
  A great deal of care is used in our manufacturing and distribution processes to ensure consumers receive quality products.  Printed instructions on the shipping cases inform all distributors of proper handling and storage of our products.  However, mishandling at any point in the distribution chain can cause damage.
  
  We value your loyalty to our products.
  
  Have a sweet day!
  
  Jill
  Consumer Representative
  Reference Number: ********
  

• Initial Complaint

  04/26/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Bought a bag of Reeses pieces peanut butter ones……I bought this bag last week, the expiration date on the bag BB 02 2023.…….these candies are certainly not fresh!!!! They are all a dull colour…. shiny like they should be, they are a chipped and the taste is way off!!! I will have to garbage them all!! Very disappointed as I love these things!!! Hope the company receives this complaint and fixes the problem

  Business response

  04/27/2022

  Dear *********,
  
  Thank you for contacting the Better Business Bureau about REESE'S PIECES Candies and sharing the photo. I'm sorry to learn of your disappointment and appreciate you bringing this to our attention.
  
  We apologize for the problem you experienced with our product and have shared your feedback with our Quality Assurance Team. Coupon reimbursement is being sent by postal mail; please allow two weeks for delivery.
  
  We believe the product you have purchased was exposed to excessive heat or humidity in distribution. These conditions can affect the appearance, texture, and flavor of the product.  
  
  Additionally, a problem such as you described can occur during distribution.  Printed instructions on the shipping cases inform all distributors of proper handling and storage of our products. 
  
  Product quality is our top priority. To help us complete our report, please provide the following information:
  
  - UPC bar code numbers
  
  - Manufacturing code stamped on the package (this is a series of numbers and letters)
  
  - Name and location of the store where you purchased the product along with purchase date
  
  Please reply to this email to provide us with this additional information.
  
  We value your loyalty to our products.
  
  Have a sweet day!
  
  Jill
  Consumer Representative
  Reference Number: ********
  

• Initial Complaint

  04/22/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  When you log onto website to enter rapper code for Reeses University Contest you can't find a place to enter I am not the only one having this problem you can see several complaints about this. They litter erased away to enter contest this is fraudulant and wish to have it investigated

  Business response

  04/25/2022

  Hi *****,
  
  Thank you for contacting The Hershey Company about the REESE'S University March Madness Pack Promotion.  We received the Better Business Bureau complaint that you initiated.
  
  We're sorry that you experienced a problem while attempting to enter this game.  The website to enter the codes was www.ReesesUniversity.com/.   The promotion ended April 17, 2022.
  
  While the promotion has ended, we would like to offer you 3 codes to use for the current Reeses Loves You Back promotion. Information about this promotion can be found at https://www.hersheyland.com/home/promotions/reeses-lovers.html. Keep an eye out for these codes in your email. 
  
  Again, we apologize for the disappointment and frustration that you've experienced. 
  
  We hope you have a sweet day!
  
  Jill
  Consumer Representative
  Reference Number: ********
  

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩