Iconic convenience chain reveals truth behind Reese’s and Kit Kat prices at all 800 locations

A POPULAR convenience store chain that operates across 482 cities revealed a price increase to the iconic Hershey’s brand candy bars sold across all locations. 

The price increase took effect Wednesday at a chain that operates 800 locations across seven states in the U.S. 

AP:Associated Press

Some Hershey’s candy will be getting pricier at Sheetz[/caption]

Sheetz confirmed to C-Store Drive (CSD) that it will up the prices on some regular and king-size candy bars in response to Hershey’s price increases. 

In July, Hershey revealed to its retailers that the company would increase prices as a result of the surge in cocoa prices, Reuters reported. 

“This change is not related to tariffs or trade policies. It reflects the reality of rising ingredient costs including the unprecedented cost of cocoa,” a spokesperson confirmed to Reuters. 

Candies like Reese’s, Kit Kat and PayDay will suffer a 26% price increase, per CSD. 

“This price adjustment only applies to Hershey-branded items; all other products at Sheetz remain unaffected,” Sheetz Public Affairs Manager Nick Ruffner said in a statement to CSD.

“Notices of these Hershey price adjustments are being posted in all store locations,” Ruffner added.

CANDY CHAOS

Millions of chocolate lovers will be impacted by these price increases as Sheetz, which operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, serves over two million customers daily, according to Great Place to Work. 

The price increase will affect shoppers in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Michigan. 

Nearly 40% of Sheetz stores are located in Pennsylvania, with 311 locations, ScrapeHero data shows. 

Dirk Van de Put, CEO of Mondelēz International, the company behind Cadbury, Toblerone and Oreo, advised customers to get used to price increases. 

“Consumers will need to get used to a chocolate that is 30%, 40%, 50% more expensive than it used to be,” he told analysts in February. 

Consumers are also noticing quantity decreases as prices go up, causing outrage. 

In April, a Reddit user pointed out Kit-Kat’s snack size package decreased from five units inside the package to four. 

“Eff you, shrink-flation,” the social media user said. 

“I noticed yesterday that the mini hersheys bars were the same,” another user wrote in the thread. 

Vice President of Investor Relations Melissa Poole explained to Reuters that Hershey slims down package sizes but keeps the prices similar to retain customers, saying shoppers will only have to spend $3 on a bag of Hershey Kisses instead of $5 or $6. 

Reddit has an entire page dedicated to shrinkflation, with a consumer calling out Cadbury on Tuesday for its small product encased in a larger package. 

“New Cadbury’s nougat uses oversized packaging to fill a box that’s too big, more effort goes into faking size than making it,” the user claimed. 

“I’ve gotten used to now shaking the packaging to see if it feels spacious with mostly air and get an idea if the weight is worth the price,” another Reddit user quipped in the comments.

“More often than not, I’m feeling that confectionery is no longer making me want to pay the higher costs.”

A LITTE HISTORY

Other chocolate companies have been forced to raise prices amid the ongoing costliness of cocoa. 

In July, Lindt & Sprungli revealed the higher cost of cocoa caused them to issue a double-digit price increase of 15.8%. 

“Although the higher cost of cocoa was partially offset through long-term contracts and efficiency

gains, a major part of the costs was reflected in price increases and other revenue growth management measures,” the company said. 

Lindt & Sprungli added that the price increase was “needed to protect the bottom line.”