CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jul. 03, 2022	Jul. 04, 2021	Jul. 03, 2022	Jul. 04, 2021
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net income including noncontrolling interest	$ 315,556	$ 301,230	$ 849,034	$ 698,101
Other comprehensive income, net of tax:
Foreign currency translation (losses) gains during period, pre-tax amount	(16,758)	12,996	(2,340)	14,194
Foreign currency translation (losses) gains during period, tax (expense) benefit	0	0	0	0
Foreign currency translation (losses) gains during period, after-tax amount	(16,758)	12,996	(2,340)	14,194
Reclassification to earnings due to the sale of businesses, pre-tax amount	0	0	0	5,210
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	0	5,210
Pension and post-retirement benefit plans:
Net actuarial (loss) gain and service cost, pre-tax amount	(32,337)	18,481	(38,811)	20,705
Net actuarial (loss) gain and service cost, tax (expense) benefit	7,758	(4,399)	7,191	(4,928)
Net actuarial (loss) gain and service cost, after tax	(24,579)	14,082	(31,620)	15,777
Reclassification to earnings, pre-tax amount	9,481	8,936	13,441	15,789
Reclassification to earnings, tax (expense) benefit	(2,275)	(2,201)	(3,226)	(4,068)
Reclassification to earnings, after-tax amount	7,206	6,735	10,215	11,721
Cash flow hedges:
Gains (losses) on cash flow hedging derivatives, pre-tax amount	5,278	(6,344)	(646)	(7,979)
Gains (losses) on cash flow hedging derivatives, tax (expense) benefit	(1,511)	(446)	(637)	(159)
Gains (losses) derivatives, after-tax amount	3,767	(6,790)	(1,283)	(8,138)
Reclassification to earnings, pre-tax amount	4,289	5,681	6,885	8,818
Reclassification to earnings, tax (expense) benefit	(296)	158	(1,023)	(382)
Reclassification to earnings, after-tax amount	3,993	5,839	5,862	8,436
Total other comprehensive income, pre-tax amount	(30,047)	39,750	(21,471)	56,737
Total other comprehensive income, tax (expense) benefit	3,676	(6,888)	2,305	(9,537)
Total other comprehensive income , after-tax amount	(26,371)	32,862	(19,166)	47,200
Total comprehensive income including noncontrolling interest	289,185	334,092	829,868	745,301
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	(8)	0	6,326
Comprehensive income attributable to The Hershey Company	$ 289,185	$ 334,100	$ 829,868	$ 738,975