CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Net sales	$ 8,149,719	$ 7,986,252	$ 7,791,069
Cost of sales	4,448,450	4,363,774	4,215,744
Gross profit	3,701,269	3,622,478	3,575,325
Selling, marketing and administrative expense	1,890,925	1,905,929	1,874,829
Long-lived and intangible asset impairment charges	9,143	112,485	57,729
Business realignment costs	31,513	9,238	51,827
Operating profit	1,782,698	1,595,952	1,623,664
Interest expense, net	149,374	144,125	138,837
Other (income) expense, net	138,327	71,043	74,766
Income before income taxes	1,494,997	1,380,784	1,410,061
Provision for income taxes	219,584	234,032	239,010
Net income including noncontrolling interest	1,275,413	1,146,752	1,171,051
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(3,295)	(2,940)	(6,511)
Net income attributable to The Hershey Company	1,278,708	1,149,692	1,177,562
Business realignment charges
Business realignment costs	$ 18,503	$ 8,112	$ 19,103
Common stock
Net income per share—basic:
Net income per share - basic (USD per share)	$ 6.30	$ 5.64	$ 5.76
Net income per share—diluted:
Net income per share - diluted (USD per share)	6.11	5.46	5.58
Dividends paid per share:
Dividends paid per share (USD per share)	3.154	2.990	2.756
Class B common stock
Net income per share—basic:
Net income per share - basic (USD per share)	5.72	5.12	5.24
Net income per share—diluted:
Net income per share - diluted (USD per share)	5.71	5.10	5.22
Dividends paid per share:
Dividends paid per share (USD per share)	$ 2.866	$ 2.716	$ 2.504