The grandson of the inventor of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups last week called out Hershey for cheapening some newer Reese’s products to no longer include real milk chocolate and real peanut butter. This is a dramatic a change from the decades-old promise of how the product is made (and a good example of skimpflation):
Writing a letter to the brand manager at Hershey’s for various Reese’s products, Brad Reese, asked:
“How does The Hershey Co. continue to position Reese’s as its flagship brand, a symbol of trust, quality and leadership, while quietly replacing the very ingredients (Milk Chocolate + Peanut Butter) that built Reese’s trust in the first place?”
As an example, Reese’s miniature hearts that were marketed this Valentine’s Day, used to be made with real ingredients but now are made with cheaper composite chocolate and peanut butter creme.
*MOUSE PRINT:
It appears that real peanut butter was not used in last year’s version of the mini-hearts either.
On his Linked-in page, Mr. Reese gave another example of the traditional ingredients missing from revamped Reese’s products:
He explained:
Today, February 3, 2026, The Hershey Company launched REESE’S Mini Eggs Unwrapped. When a brand like REESE’S built on two ingredients; Milk Chocolate + Peanut Butter, quietly swaps both, that’s not innovation. That’s a breach. And the proof is right on the REESE’S packs shown below.
Front of pack: “Chocolate Candy” and “Peanut Butter Creme.”
Back of pack: Vegetable oils where “Cocoa Butter” once stood. Hydrogenated oils where real “Peanut Butter” once led.
The original Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups have not been changed… yet.
When the original Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups change it will be the total death of the brand.
Calling it chocolate candy is just sad…
Even the new for 2026 product Twix Bits is not even real chocolate which I do not like at all.
I quit buying Reese’s years ago once I discovered Aldi’s better tasting ones: https://www.aldi.us/product/choceur-peanut-butter-cups-12-oz-0000000000002257
So far, Aldi still uses real milk chocolate and real peanut butter in theirs.
This is all the more reason to “skimp” on their sugary products. Unhealthy to begin with and now it’s definitely junk we’re putting into our systems. Thank you Hershey/Reese’s for bringing this attention the forefront!
Would like to see this publicized so the general public can decide if they do not want to purchase a fake product.
NEW ingredients (in order of percentage, highest amount to lowest amount) Sugar, 6 different oils, Peanuts making a cameo walk-on appearance at number 8 on the list.
Your inner health advisor should say “NO!” after the first 3.
Justin’s brand peanut butter cups are far superior in every way anyway. Let the titans fall, they will never go back to what they used to be.
Very true. However the Justin’s brand can be difficult to find as it sells out quickly.
This is unacceptable for the consumer. Once again, corporate greed over quality!
No wonder that I didn’t enjoy these as much. They were very mediocre. Shame on Hershey’s.
We should not be surprised when a company tries to find a way to make it’s offerings cheaper to make — shrinkfation, as well — and try to hide it in hard to read mouseprint.
So does Hershey now own Reese’s?
For a very long time, Don.
The original Reese’s HAVE changed. When I was a kid, the individual cups were considerably larger than they are now.
I lived in europe for some time and the taste and quality of candy or chocolate is totally different. I would recommend boycotting Hershey’s and all american chocolate companies. Order UK, Irish, German or French chocolates online. Way better for your health and WAY more enjoyable! Less toxic!