We, Hershey’s customers, ask The Hershey Company to eliminate its use of single-use plastic wrappers from its products, including Hershey's Bars, Jolly Ranchers, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and other confectionaries.

The tide is turning against plastic pollution, with recent campaigns against plastic straws, plastic bags, and other single-use plastic products. We believe that Hershey’s has a role to play in reducing its pollution footprint by eliminating its single-use plastic wrappers in favor of more sustainable alternatives.

Hershey’s has the ability to make a difference. As a large corporation with billions of dollars in net sales [1], Hershey’s is not only a key player in the confectionery industry, but also a large producer of plastic wrappers that end up in landfills in the best case, and littering our streets, waterways, and oceans in the worst.

Hershey’s actions should match its promise of sustainability. In Hershey’s 2018 Sustainability Report [2], Hershey’s indicated that it is focused on creating “Reductions in GHGs, total waste, packaging waste and water use.” In order for Hershey’s to successfully achieve this goal, switching away from single-use plastic wrappers is paramount.

Hershey’s has plenty of alternatives to single-use plastics. For example, starting in 2019, Nestlé plans to use paper packaging for its Yes! snack bar, and Smarties will have plastic-free packaging as well. Other alternatives include biodegradable or compostable wrappers [3].

Opening up a plastic bag of Jolly Ranchers only to reveal candies individually wrapped with plastic is upsetting. Tearing open a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup only to have to discard the plastic wrapper is frustrating. Let us enjoy your candies without the environmental consequences of single-use plastic wrappers. Hershey’s, we love your candies, but we are disappointed with the way you package them.

Sources:

• 1, 2: https://www.thehersheycompany.com/content/dam/corporate-us/documents/pdf/Hershey-SR-2018.pdf
• 3: https://www.nestle.com/media/pressreleases/allpressreleases/nestle-action-tackle-plastic-waste