A U.S. Department of Labor report found 1.56 million children working on cocoa farms supplying Hershey and its peers, with child labor rates actually increasing over the decade following Hershey's pledges to eliminate it. Consumer Reports also found that Hershey's Special Dark and Lily's-brand chocolates contained lead or cadmium at levels exceeding California daily exposure limits.

Why are people boycotting Hershey?

Child labor in Hershey's cocoa supply chain is the most cited concern, with a 2020 federal report documenting over 1.5 million child laborers on the farms supplying major chocolate companies. Many consumers are also upset that Hershey quietly swapped real milk chocolate for vegetable oil-based compound coatings in multiple Reese's products without clearly disclosing the change.

What are the best ethical alternatives to Hershey?

Tony's Chocolonely makes slave-free chocolate with full supply chain transparency. Divine Chocolate is co-owned by the Ghanaian cocoa farmers who grow its beans. Equal Exchange is a worker-owned cooperative offering Fair Trade organic chocolate. You can also search for an independent chocolatier near you.

Hershey

Flagged · Avoid

One of the world's largest chocolate and candy companies, best known for Hershey's Kisses, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Kit Kat, and Twizzlers. The company has faced persistent scrutiny over child labor in its cocoa supply chain and quietly reformulated products to use cheaper ingredients.

Last updated June 16, 2026

Reasons to avoid

Issues span:LaborConsumer

A U.S. Department of Labor-commissioned report found that 1.56 million children were engaged in child labor on cocoa farms in Ivory Coast and Ghana, the countries supplying cocoa to Hershey and its peers. The proportion of children working on cocoa farms increased by 14 percentage points over the prior decade, contradicting two decades of industry pledges by Hershey and others to eradicate the practice by deadlines in 2005, 2008, and 2010.fortune.com2020-10-19
A December 2022 Consumer Reports study found that Hershey's Special Dark Mildly Sweet Chocolate and two Lily's-brand dark chocolates owned by Hershey contained levels of lead or cadmium that exceed California's maximum daily exposure limits in a single one-ounce serving. A federal lawsuit was subsequently filed accusing Hershey of selling dark chocolate with harmful metal content without disclosing it to consumers.npr.org2022-12-30
Hershey acknowledged in early 2026 that it had replaced real milk chocolate with vegetable oil-based compound coatings and substituted peanut butter with peanut-butter-style creme across multiple Reese's products without prominent consumer notice. The changes came to light after the grandson of the Reese's brand founder posted a public complaint that went viral, and Hershey announced plans to revert the affected products to classic recipes by 2027.cbsnews.com2026-04-02

Ethical alternatives

Chocolate & Snacks

Tony's Chocolonely

Slave-free chocolate made with full supply chain transparency.

🤝 Fair Trade🌱 Ethically Sourced

Visit →

Divine Chocolate

The only Fairtrade chocolate company co-owned by the cocoa farmers themselves.

✅ B-Corp🤝 Fair Trade👩‍🌾 Farmer Owned

Visit →

Alter Eco

B Corp certified chocolate bars and truffles made with Fair Trade organic ingredients and compostable packaging.

✅ B-Corp🤝 Fair Trade🌿 Organic♻️ Sustainable

Visit →

Equal Exchange

Worker-owned cooperative offering Fair Trade organic chocolate, coffee, and tea.

✊ Worker Owned🤝 Fair Trade🌿 Organic

Visit →

Local Chocolate Shops

Find an independent chocolatier or candy shop near you.

📍 Local Business

Common Questions

Is Hershey ethical?: A U.S. Department of Labor report found 1.56 million children working on cocoa farms supplying Hershey and its peers, with child labor rates actually increasing over the decade following Hershey's pledges to eliminate it. Consumer Reports also found that Hershey's Special Dark and Lily's-brand chocolates contained lead or cadmium at levels exceeding California daily exposure limits.
Why are people boycotting Hershey?: Child labor in Hershey's cocoa supply chain is the most cited concern, with a 2020 federal report documenting over 1.5 million child laborers on the farms supplying major chocolate companies. Many consumers are also upset that Hershey quietly swapped real milk chocolate for vegetable oil-based compound coatings in multiple Reese's products without clearly disclosing the change.
What are the best ethical alternatives to Hershey?: Tony's Chocolonely makes slave-free chocolate with full supply chain transparency. Divine Chocolate is co-owned by the Ghanaian cocoa farmers who grow its beans. Equal Exchange is a worker-owned cooperative offering Fair Trade organic chocolate. You can also search for an independent chocolatier near you.