CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Oct. 03, 2021	Sep. 27, 2020	Oct. 03, 2021	Sep. 27, 2020
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net income including noncontrolling interest	$ 444,927	$ 447,258	$ 1,143,028	$ 984,083
Other comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax:
Foreign currency translation gains (losses) during period, pre-tax amount	(11,571)	7,050	2,623	(41,242)
Foreign currency translation gains (losses) during period, tax (expense) benefit	0	0	0	0
Foreign currency translation gains (losses) during period, after-tax amount	(11,571)	7,050	2,623	(41,242)
Reclassification to earnings due to the sale of businesses, pre-tax amount	0	0	5,210	0
Reclassification to earnings due to the sale of businesses, tax (expense) benefit	0	0	0	0
Reclassification to earnings due to the sale of businesses, after tax	0	0	5,210	0
Pension and post-retirement benefit plans:
Net actuarial (loss) gain and service cost, pre-tax amount	(8,793)	3,204	11,912	(13,481)
Net actuarial (loss) gain and service cost, tax (expense) benefit	2,093	(758)	(2,835)	3,195
Net actuarial (loss) gain and service cost, after tax	(6,700)	2,446	9,077	(10,286)
Reclassification to earnings, pre-tax amount	8,457	4,945	24,246	18,242
Reclassification to earnings, tax (expense) benefit	(671)	(452)	(4,739)	(3,183)
Reclassification to earnings, after-tax amount	7,786	4,493	19,507	15,059
Cash flow hedges:
Gains (losses) on cash flow hedging derivatives, pre-tax amount	5,779	(807)	(2,200)	5,249
Gains (losses) on cash flow hedging derivatives, tax (expense) benefit	(2,153)	441	(2,312)	174
Gains (losses) on cash flow hedging derivatives, after-tax amount	3,626	(366)	(4,512)	5,423
Reclassification to earnings, pre-tax amount	4,709	2,341	13,527	5,638
Reclassification to earnings, tax (expense) benefit	(119)	(578)	(501)	(2,508)
Reclassification to earnings, after-tax amount	4,590	1,763	13,026	3,130
Total other comprehensive (loss) income, pre-tax amount	(1,419)	16,733	55,318	(25,594)
Total other comprehensive (loss) income, tax (expense) benefit	(850)	(1,347)	(10,387)	(2,322)
Total other comprehensive (loss) income, after-tax amount	(2,269)	15,386	44,931	(27,916)
Total comprehensive income including noncontrolling interest	442,658	462,644	1,187,959	956,167
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(5)	475	6,321	(2,813)
Comprehensive income attributable to The Hershey Company	$ 442,663	$ 462,169	$ 1,181,638	$ 958,980