QUARTERLY DATA (Unaudited) - SCHEDULE OF QUARTERLY FINANCIAL INFORMATION (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 29, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jul. 01, 2018	Apr. 01, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Jun. 28, 2019
Net sales	$ 2,068,125	$ 2,134,422	$ 1,767,217	$ 2,016,488	$ 1,987,902	$ 2,079,593	$ 1,751,615	$ 1,971,959	$ 7,986,252	$ 7,791,069
Gross profit	911,912	943,318	874,744	892,504	944,352	863,493	793,420	974,060	3,622,478	3,575,325	$ 3,455,376
Net income attributable to The Hershey Company	$ 207,187	$ 325,307	$ 312,840	$ 304,358	$ 336,791	$ 263,713	$ 226,855	$ 350,203	$ 1,149,692	$ 1,177,562	$ 782,981
Market price of common stock throughout the quarter (USD per share)												$ 134.03
Maximum
Market price of common stock throughout the quarter (USD per share)	$ 157.70	$ 161.40	$ 138.32	$ 114.83	$ 110.01	$ 106.60	$ 100.60	$ 114.06	$ 157.70	$ 110.01
Minimum
Market price of common stock throughout the quarter (USD per share)	140.29	134.25	113.84	104.30	101.64	91.04	89.54	96.06	140.29	101.64
Common stock
Net income per share - basic (USD per share)	1.02	1.59	1.54	1.49	1.65	1.29	1.11	1.71	5.64	5.76	$ 3.79
Net income per share - diluted (USD per share)	0.98	1.54	1.48	1.45	1.60	1.25	1.08	1.65	5.46	5.58	3.66
Dividends paid per share (USD per share)	0.773	0.773	0.722	0.722	0.722	0.722	0.656	0.656	2.990	2.756	2.548
Class B common stock
Net income per share - basic (USD per share)	0.93	1.45	1.39	1.36	1.50	1.17	1.01	1.55	5.12	5.24	3.44
Net income per share - diluted (USD per share)	0.92	1.44	1.38	1.36	1.49	1.17	1.01	1.55	5.10	5.22	3.44
Dividends paid per share (USD per share)	$ 0.702	$ 0.702	$ 0.656	$ 0.656	$ 0.656	$ 0.656	$ 0.596	$ 0.596	$ 2.716	$ 2.504	$ 2.316