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Hershey beats lawsuit claiming Reese's Halloween candies aren't spooky
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on September 22, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
Quick Summary
Hershey wins a lawsuit over Halloween Reese's candy designs, as a judge rules no economic harm was shown by plaintiffs.
Hershey Wins Lawsuit Over Halloween Reese's Candy Design Claims
By Jonathan Stempel
NEW YORK (Reuters) -Hershey defeated a lawsuit claiming it misled consumers who were disappointed the Halloween-themed Reese's peanut butter candies they bought lacked the decorative details shown on the labels.
U.S. District Judge Melissa Damian ruled on Friday that the plaintiffs did not show they suffered economic harm because their pumpkin-shaped candies, which they thought would contain "artistic carvings" of triangular eyes and crooked mouths, were blank.
The May 2024 lawsuit challenged the lack of details on nine Reese's products, including a bat-shaped candy missing eyes, a ghost-shaped candy missing eyes and a mouth, and a football-shaped candy that resembled an egg because it had no stitching.
Damian also said the subjective belief of the plaintiffs that they overpaid did not support their claims, or give them standing to sue.
"Put simply, plaintiffs do not allege that the products were unfit for consumption, did not taste as plaintiffs expected, or otherwise were so flawed as to render them worthless," the Miami-based judge wrote.
The proposed class action by Florida residents Nathan Vidal and Eduardo Granados sought at least $5 million in damages. Damian said they may seek to file an amended complaint.
Anthony Russo, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, called the ruling procedural, and said his clients will review their next steps.
Hershey and its lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In seeking a dismissal, Hershey said the plaintiffs ignored disclaimers on packaging that the carvings were a "DECORATING SUGGESTION."
The Hershey, Pennsylvania-based company also said the plaintiffs, in the end, got what they paid for: "delicious Reese's candy."
The case is Vidal et al v Hershey Co, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, No. 24-60831.
(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New YorkEditing by Marguerita Choy)
Key Takeaways
- •Hershey won a lawsuit over Halloween candy design claims.
- •Plaintiffs failed to prove economic harm from candy designs.
- •Judge ruled candies were not unfit for consumption.
- •The case involved nine Reese's products with design issues.
- •Plaintiffs may seek to file an amended complaint.
Frequently Asked Questions about Hershey beats lawsuit claiming Reese's Halloween candies aren't spooky
1What was the main claim in the Hershey lawsuit?
The lawsuit claimed that Hershey misled consumers regarding the decorative details of Halloween-themed Reese's candies.
2What did the judge rule regarding the plaintiffs' claims?
U.S. District Judge Melissa Damian ruled that the plaintiffs did not demonstrate economic harm or that the products were unfit for consumption.
3What damages were the plaintiffs seeking?
The proposed class action sought at least $5 million in damages from Hershey.
4What was Hershey's defense in the lawsuit?
Hershey argued that the plaintiffs ignored disclaimers on the packaging indicating that the carvings were merely a 'DECORATING SUGGESTION.'
5What might the plaintiffs do next after the ruling?
The plaintiffs may seek to file an amended complaint following the judge's ruling.
