CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net income including noncontrolling interest	$ 1,146,752	$ 1,171,051	$ 756,537
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:
Foreign currency translation adjustments, pre-tax amount	13,141	(31,143)	19,616
Foreign currency translation adjustments, tax (expense) benefit	0	0	0
Foreign currency translation adjustments, after-tax amount	13,141	(31,143)	19,616
Reclassification to earnings due to sale of business, pre-tax amount	0	(25,131)	0
Reclassification to earnings due to sale of business, pre-tax amount, tax (expense) benefit	0	0	0
Reclassification to earnings due to sale of business, after-tax amount	0	(25,131)	0
Pension and post-retirement benefit plans:
Net actuarial (loss) gain and prior service cost, pre-tax amount	(9,315)	(39,724)	28,718
Net actuarial (loss) gain and prior service cost, tax (expense) benefit	2,273	10,120	(10,883)
Net actuarial (loss) gain and prior service cost, after-tax amount	(7,042)	(29,604)	17,835
Tax cuts and jobs act, reclassification from aoci to retained earnings, pre tax effect, pension and post-retirement benefit plans	0	0	0
Tax cuts and jobs act, reclassification from aoci to retained earnings, tax effect, pension and post-retirement benefit plans	0	(36,535)	0
Tax cuts and jobs act, reclassification from aoci to retained earnings, after tax pension and post-retirement benefit plans	0	(36,535)	0
Reclassification to earnings, pre-tax amount	31,341	40,421	46,305
Reclassification to earnings, tax (expense) benefit	(8,256)	(9,986)	(26,497)
Reclassification to earnings, after-tax amount	23,085	30,435	19,808
Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income, Cash Flow Hedge, (Loss) Gain, before Reclassification and Tax	(2,515)	5,822	(4,931)
Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income, Cash Flow Hedge, (Loss) Gain, before Reclassification, Tax	(857)	86	(73)
Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income, Cash Flow Hedge, (Loss) Gain, before Reclassification, after Tax	(1,658)	5,736	(4,858)
Cash flow hedges:
Tax cuts and jobs act, reclassification from aoci to retained earnings, pre tax effect, cash flow hedges	0	0	0
Tax cuts and jobs act, reclassification from aoci to retained earnings, tax effect, cash flow hedges	0	(11,121)	0
Tax cuts and jobs act, reclassification from aoci to retained earnings, after tax, cash flow hedges	0	(11,121)	0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Cash Flow Hedge, Gain (Loss), Reclassification, before Tax	(8,404)	(5,573)	(14,434)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Cash Flow Hedge, Gain (Loss), Reclassification, Tax	(2,949)	(2,677)	(3,853)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Cash Flow Hedge, Gain (Loss), Reclassification, after Tax	(5,455)	(2,896)	(10,581)
Total other comprehensive income (loss), pre-tax amount	41,056	6,080	104,142
Total other comprehensive income (loss), tax (expense) benefit	(8,075)	(50,285)	(41,160)
Total other comprehensive income (loss), after-tax amount	32,981	(44,205)	62,982
Total comprehensive income including noncontrolling interest	1,179,733	1,126,846	819,519
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	(2,773)	(7,682)	(25,604)
Comprehensive income attributable to The Hershey Company	$ 1,182,506	$ 1,134,528	$ 845,123