CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jul. 02, 2017	Jul. 03, 2016	Jul. 02, 2017	Jul. 03, 2016
Net sales	$ 1,662,991	$ 1,637,671	$ 3,542,669	$ 3,466,483
Cost of sales	899,781	890,273	1,872,899	1,901,709
Gross profit	763,210	747,398	1,669,770	1,564,774
Selling, marketing and administrative expense	445,888	462,531	907,788	934,265
Long-lived asset impairment charges	0	0	208,712	0
Business realignment costs	1,981	22,105	45,998	28,238
Operating profit	315,341	262,762	507,272	602,271
Interest expense, net	24,126	21,338	47,867	42,343
Other (income) expense, net	10,098	8,128	9,927	(13,097)
Income before income taxes	281,117	233,296	449,478	573,025
Provision for income taxes	78,390	87,340	148,503	197,237
Net income (loss) including noncontrolling interest	202,727	145,956	300,975	375,788
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	(774)	0	(27,570)	0
Net income (loss) attributable to The Hershey Company	$ 203,501	$ 145,956	$ 328,545	$ 375,788
Common stock
Net income per share—basic:
Net income per share - basic (USD per share)	$ 0.98	$ 0.70	$ 1.58	$ 1.79
Net income per share—diluted:
Net income per share - diluted (USD per share)	0.95	0.68	1.53	1.74
Dividends paid per share:
Dividends paid per share (USD per share)	0.618	0.583	1.236	1.166
Class B common stock
Net income per share—basic:
Net income per share - basic (USD per share)	0.89	0.64	1.44	1.64
Net income per share—diluted:
Net income per share - diluted (USD per share)	0.89	0.64	1.44	1.63
Dividends paid per share:
Dividends paid per share (USD per share)	$ 0.562	$ 0.530	$ 1.124	$ 1.06