Hershey Class Action Lawsuit Updates, Where Each Case Stands Right Now

Hershey isn’t fighting one lawsuit — it’s fighting several, and they’re not all about the same thing. Some are about what’s printed on the wrapper. Some are about what’s allegedly in the wrapper. None of them have reached a settlement yet. Here’s the current status of each active thread, in plain terms.

Hershey Litigation — Quick Status Table

Case	Filed	Current Status
Reese’s “carved design” packaging (original)	May 2024, S.D. Fla.	Dismissed without prejudice, Sept. 19, 2025
Reese’s “carved design” packaging (refiled)	Feb. 12, 2026, E.D.N.Y., No. 1:26-cv-824	Active; early stage, no ruling yet
PFAS in candy wrappers	Oct. 29, 2024, M.D. Pa., No. 1:24-cv-01868	Active; no ruling found
Lead & cadmium in dark chocolate (Lazazzaro)	Dec. 2022, E.D.N.Y., No. 1:22-cv-07923	Voluntarily dismissed, Feb. 2024
Lead & cadmium in dark chocolate (Grausz)	2023, C.D. Cal., No. 3:23-cv-00028	UNVERIFIED — no public ruling found since March 2023 motion to dismiss
Lily’s “Stevia Sweetened” labeling	March 2024	UNVERIFIED — no update found since filing
Organic/Rainforest Alliance “sustainable” claims	Jan. 2024	UNVERIFIED — no update found since filing
Child labor supply-chain claims	Earlier litigation	Dismissed — Massachusetts federal court found no actionable deception under state law

Reese’s “Carved Design” Packaging: Refiled After Dismissal

Hershey has actually won this fight once already. The original case, filed in Florida in 2024, claimed Reese’s Halloween pumpkins, ghosts, and other shapes were pictured with detailed carved faces that the actual candy didn’t have. A federal judge dismissed it in September 2025, ruling the plaintiffs never showed real economic harm — they still got “delicious Reese’s candy,” just without the decorative carving.

That wasn’t the end of it. A new, similarly framed lawsuit — Lane, et al. v. The Hershey Company — was filed February 12, 2026, in New York federal court, covering consumers in New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Oregon, and Washington, D.C. It’s still in its earliest stage: no class certified, no ruling on Hershey’s expected motion to dismiss, and nothing for consumers to do yet. For the full breakdown of who’s covered and what’s alleged, see our full write-up on the Reese’s carved-design lawsuit.

PFAS in Candy Wrappers: Still an Open Question

Separately, Hershey faces claims that wrappers for products including Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Kisses, and KitKat bars contain unsafe levels of PFAS — the “forever chemicals” linked to cancer and other health risks. The lead case, filed in Pennsylvania federal court in October 2024, is still active. No dismissal, no settlement, and no class certification decision has surfaced in the court records reviewed for this update. For the details on which products are named and what the testing behind the lawsuit claims to show, see our earlier coverage of the PFAS wrapper claims.

Lead and Cadmium in Dark Chocolate: One Case Dropped, One Unclear

This is the oldest thread. Back in December 2022, a New York consumer sued Hershey after Consumer Reports found lead and cadmium in a batch of dark chocolate bars, including two Lily’s products Hershey had acquired. That specific case was voluntarily dismissed without prejudice in February 2024 — meaning the plaintiff dropped it, but nothing stops a similar suit from being filed again.

A separate case making similar allegations, filed in California federal court, had a motion to dismiss pending as of March 2023. We couldn’t confirm what happened after that motion — no public ruling turned up in the sources checked for this update, so treat that case’s current status as unresolved rather than closed.

Lily’s “Stevia Sweetened” and “Sustainable” Sourcing Claims: Quiet Since Filing

Two more threads round out Hershey’s current labeling exposure. One, filed in March 2024, claims Lily’s chocolate products are misleadingly marketed as “Stevia Sweetened.” Another, filed in January 2024, claims Hershey’s organic and plant-based bars — marketed with Rainforest Alliance certification — aren’t as ethically sourced or sustainable as advertised. Neither case has a public update since its original filing in the sources checked here. That doesn’t mean nothing has happened — it may simply mean the case hasn’t generated news coverage recently. Consumers tracking either case should check the relevant federal docket directly for the latest filings.

What This Means If You’re a Hershey Customer

None of these cases have reached a settlement, so there’s no claim form to file and no payout to expect right now. If a settlement is reached in any of these threads, a court-appointed administrator will set up an official claims site — treat any other site claiming to process a “Hershey settlement claim” today as premature at best. The most concrete next step to watch is whether Hershey moves to dismiss the refiled Reese’s case in New York, given how it fared with the same argument in Florida.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a Hershey class action lawsuit right now?

 Yes — several, covering different products and different legal theories: Reese’s seasonal packaging, PFAS in wrappers, and “natural”/”sustainable” labeling claims on Lily’s and organic chocolate lines.

Has Hershey settled any of these lawsuits? 

No. As of September 2026, none of the active labeling or packaging lawsuits against Hershey have reached a settlement.

Do I need to do anything right now? 

No. None of these cases have a claims process open. If that changes, it will be through an official, court-supervised settlement website, not a third-party form.

Which Hershey lawsuit is closest to being resolved?

 None appear close to settlement based on public records. The Reese’s design case has already been through one full dismissal-and-refile cycle, which suggests it could take a while longer to resolve.

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. Facts verified against court filings and news coverage of each case as of September 11, 2026. Last Updated: September 11, 2026.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Legal claims and outcomes depend on specific facts and applicable law. For advice regarding a particular situation, consult a qualified attorney.