SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES	9 Months Ended
Sep. 27, 2020
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Basis of Presentation The unaudited consolidated financial statements provided in this report include the accounts of The Hershey Company (the “Company,” “Hershey,” “we” or “us”) and our majority-owned subsidiaries and entities in which we have a controlling financial interest after the elimination of intercompany accounts and transactions. We have a controlling financial interest if we own a majority of the outstanding voting common stock and minority shareholders do not have substantive participating rights, we have significant control through contractual or economic interests in which we are the primary beneficiary or we have the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the entity's economic performance. We use the equity method of accounting when we have a 20% to 50% interest in other companies and exercise significant influence. Other investments that are not controlled, and over which we do not have the ability to exercise significant influence, are accounted for under the cost method. Both equity and cost method investments are included as Other non-current assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial reporting and with the rules and regulations for reporting on Form 10-Q. Accordingly, they do not contain certain information and disclosures required by GAAP for comprehensive financial statements. The financial statements reflect all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) which are, in our opinion, necessary for a fair presentation of the results of operations, financial position, and cash flows for the indicated periods. Operating results for the quarter ended September 27, 2020 may not be indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2020 because of seasonal effects on our business. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 (our “2019 Annual Report on Form 10-K”), which provides a more complete understanding of our accounting policies, financial position, operating results and other matters. COVID-19 On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization designated the novel coronavirus ("COVID-19") as a global pandemic. We continue to actively monitor COVID-19 and its potential impact on our operations and financial results. Employee health and safety remains our first priority while we continue our efforts to support community food supplies. To date, there has been minimal disruption to our supply chain network, and all our manufacturing plants are currently open. We are also working closely with our business units, contract manufacturers, distributors, contractors and other external business partners to minimize the potential impact on our business. In late May and early June, many state governments began a phased reopening of their economies. These phased approaches promoted limited food service offerings, outdoor dining, increased travel and the reopening of retailing establishments while adhering to new guidelines and enhanced safety measures, including social distancing and face mask protocols. As a result, we experienced an increase in our net sales and earnings per share during the third quarter of 2020. While recent reopening approaches have made a short-term positive impact on local and state economies and the United States unemployment rate, certain states have modified reopening plans as new cases of COVID-19 have been on the rise in recent weeks, leading to new trends in outbreaks and hotspots. Additionally, there are concerns regarding another new wave of COVID-19 as the weather gets cooler and gatherings begin to move indoors. We believe the financial impacts from COVID-19 are temporary in nature and do not significantly affect our business model and growth strategy. Therefore, we do not consider COVID-19 to be a triggering event to accelerate our annual impairments tests. We evaluated our goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets and determined there were no interim triggering events as it was not more likely than not that the fair value of our reporting units and indefinite-lived intangible assets would be less than their respective carrying amounts. Additionally, we evaluated our long-lived assets, including our property, plant and equipment, lease right-of-use assets and other intangible assets, noting no indicators of impairment. The ultimate impact that COVID-19 will have on our consolidated financial statements remains uncertain and ultimately will be dictated by the length and severity of the pandemic, as well as the economic recovery and federal, state and local government actions taken in response. We will continue to evaluate the nature and extent of these potential impacts to our business and consolidated financial statements. Recent Accounting Pronouncements Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements In August 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2018-14, Compensation—Retirement Benefits—Defined Benefit Plans—General (Topic 715-20): Disclosure Framework—Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans, which modifies the disclosure requirements for defined benefit pension plans and other post-retirement plans. ASU 2018-14 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted. The amendments in this ASU should be applied on a retrospective basis to all periods presented. We elected to early adopt the provisions of this ASU in the fourth quarter of 2019. Adoption of the new standard did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. This ASU modifies the measurement of expected credit losses of certain financial instruments. ASU 2016-13 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those annual periods. The amendments in this ASU should be applied on a modified retrospective basis to all periods presented. We adopted the provisions of this ASU in the first quarter of 2020. Adoption of the new standard did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820), Disclosure Framework-Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement. This ASU modifies the disclosure requirements for fair value measurements by removing, modifying or adding certain disclosures. ASU 2018-13 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those annual periods, with early adoption permitted. The amendments on changes in unrealized gains and losses, the range and weighted average of significant unobservable inputs used to develop Level 3 fair value measurements, and the narrative description of measurement uncertainty should be applied prospectively for only the most recent interim or annual period presented in the initial fiscal year of adoption. All other amendments should be applied retrospectively to all periods presented upon their effective date. We adopted the provisions of this ASU in the first quarter of 2020. Adoption of the new standard did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-15, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other-Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40), Customer's Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement that is a Service Contract. This ASU aligns the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software (and hosting arrangements that include an internal-use software license). ASU 2018-15 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those annual periods, with early adoption permitted. The amendments in this ASU should be applied either retrospectively or prospectively to all implementation costs incurred after the date of adoption. We adopted the provisions of this ASU in the first quarter of 2020 on a prospective basis. Adoption of the new standard did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes. This ASU is intended to simplify various aspects related to accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740 and clarifying certain aspects of the current guidance to promote consistency among reporting entities. ASU 2019-12 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2020 and interim periods within those annual periods, with early adoption permitted. An entity that elects early adoption must adopt all the amendments in the same period. Most amendments within this ASU are required to be applied on a prospective basis, while certain amendments must be applied on a retrospective or modified retrospective basis. We are currently evaluating the impact of the new standard on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting. The ASU is intended to provide temporary optional expedients and exceptions to the GAAP guidance on contract modifications and hedge accounting to ease the financial reporting burdens related to the expected market transition from the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) and other interbank offered rates to alternative reference rates. Entities may apply this ASU upon issuance through December 31, 2022 on a prospective basis. We are currently evaluating the impact of the new standard on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. No other new accounting pronouncement issued or effective during the fiscal year had or is expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements or disclosures.

The unaudited consolidated financial statements provided in this report include the accounts of The Hershey Company (the “Company,” “Hershey,” “we” or “us”) and our majority-owned subsidiaries and entities in which we have a controlling financial interest after the elimination of intercompany accounts and transactions. We have a controlling financial interest if we own a majority of the outstanding voting common stock and minority shareholders do not have substantive participating rights, we have significant control through contractual or economic interests in which we are the primary beneficiary or we have the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the entity's economic performance. We use the equity method of accounting when we have a 20% to 50% interest in other companies and exercise significant influence. Other investments that are not controlled, and over which we do not have the ability to exercise significant influence, are accounted for under the cost method. Both equity and cost method investments are included as Other non-current assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial reporting and with the rules and regulations for reporting on Form 10-Q. Accordingly, they do not contain certain information and disclosures required by GAAP for comprehensive financial statements. The financial statements reflect all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) which are, in our opinion, necessary for a fair presentation of the results of operations, financial position, and cash flows for the indicated periods.

Operating results for the quarter ended September 27, 2020 may not be indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2020 because of seasonal effects on our business. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 (our “2019 Annual Report on Form 10-K”), which provides a more complete understanding of our accounting policies, financial position, operating results and other matters.

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization designated the novel coronavirus ("COVID-19") as a global pandemic. We continue to actively monitor COVID-19 and its potential impact on our operations and financial results. Employee health and safety remains our first priority while we continue our efforts to support community food supplies. To date, there has been minimal disruption to our supply chain network, and all our manufacturing plants are currently open. We are also working closely with our business units, contract manufacturers, distributors, contractors and other external business partners to minimize the potential impact on our business.

In late May and early June, many state governments began a phased reopening of their economies. These phased approaches promoted limited food service offerings, outdoor dining, increased travel and the reopening of retailing establishments while adhering to new guidelines and enhanced safety measures, including social distancing and face mask protocols. As a result, we experienced an increase in our net sales and earnings per share during the third quarter of 2020.

While recent reopening approaches have made a short-term positive impact on local and state economies and the United States unemployment rate, certain states have modified reopening plans as new cases of COVID-19 have been on the rise in recent weeks, leading to new trends in outbreaks and hotspots. Additionally, there are concerns regarding another new wave of COVID-19 as the weather gets cooler and gatherings begin to move indoors.

We believe the financial impacts from COVID-19 are temporary in nature and do not significantly affect our business model and growth strategy. Therefore, we do not consider COVID-19 to be a triggering event to accelerate our annual impairments tests. We evaluated our goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets and determined there were no interim triggering events as it was not more likely than not that the fair value of our reporting units and indefinite-lived intangible assets would be less than their respective carrying amounts. Additionally, we evaluated our long-lived assets, including our property, plant and equipment, lease right-of-use assets and other intangible assets, noting no indicators of impairment.

In August 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2018-14, Compensation—Retirement Benefits—Defined Benefit Plans—General (Topic 715-20): Disclosure Framework—Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans, which modifies the disclosure requirements for defined benefit pension plans and other post-retirement plans. ASU 2018-14 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted. The amendments in this ASU should be applied on a retrospective basis to all periods presented. We elected to early adopt the provisions of this ASU in the fourth quarter of 2019. Adoption of the new standard did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. This ASU modifies the measurement of expected credit losses of certain financial instruments. ASU 2016-13 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those annual periods. The amendments in this ASU should be applied on a modified retrospective basis to all periods presented. We adopted the provisions of this ASU in the first quarter of 2020. Adoption of the new standard did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820), Disclosure Framework-Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement. This ASU modifies the disclosure requirements for fair value measurements by removing, modifying or adding certain disclosures. ASU 2018-13 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those annual periods, with early adoption permitted. The amendments on changes in unrealized gains and losses, the range and weighted average of significant unobservable inputs used to develop Level 3 fair value measurements, and the narrative description of measurement uncertainty should be applied prospectively for only the most recent interim or annual period presented in the initial fiscal year of adoption. All other amendments should be applied retrospectively to all periods presented upon their effective date. We adopted the provisions of this ASU in the first quarter of 2020. Adoption of the new standard did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-15, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other-Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40), Customer's Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement that is a Service Contract. This ASU aligns the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software (and hosting arrangements that include an internal-use software license). ASU 2018-15 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those annual periods, with early adoption permitted. The amendments in this ASU should be applied either retrospectively or prospectively to all implementation costs incurred after the date of adoption. We adopted the provisions of this ASU in the first quarter of 2020 on a prospective basis. Adoption of the new standard did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes. This ASU is intended to simplify various aspects related to accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740 and clarifying certain aspects of the current guidance to promote consistency among reporting entities. ASU 2019-12 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2020 and interim periods within those annual periods, with early adoption permitted. An entity that elects early adoption must adopt all the amendments in the same period. Most amendments within this ASU are required to be applied on a prospective basis, while certain amendments must be applied on a retrospective or modified retrospective basis. We are currently evaluating the impact of the new standard on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting. The ASU is intended to provide temporary optional expedients and exceptions to the GAAP guidance on contract modifications and hedge accounting to ease the financial reporting burdens related to the expected market transition from the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) and other interbank offered rates to alternative reference rates. Entities may apply this ASU upon issuance through December 31, 2022 on a prospective basis. We are currently evaluating the impact of the new standard on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.