Hershey has once again secured the dismissal of a lawsuit accusing the company of misleading customers over Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkins that didn’t match the designs shown on their packaging.
US District Judge Melissa Damian dismissed an amended version of the proposed class-action lawsuit on September 16, ruling that the two remaining plaintiffs lacked legal standing to pursue their claims.
The dispute dates back to 2024 and centers on Reese’s seasonal candies that were pictured on their packaging with decorative details, including carved eyes and mouths. The plaintiffs argued that the actual chocolates were plain and lacked those designs.
Judge dismisses amended Reese’s lawsuit
Florida residents Nathan Vidal and Eduardo Granados claimed they purchased Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkins for the novelty value of what they described in the lawsuit as “cool and beautiful carved-out designs.”
According to the complaint, the pair believed the candies themselves would feature the eyes and mouths pictured on the packaging and argued they would not have purchased them, or would have paid less, had they known the chocolates were plain.
However, Damian found that the plaintiffs had not demonstrated a concrete financial injury from the difference in appearance.
“Accepting plaintiffs’ allegations as true, it is clear that their only injury is their subjective disappointment,” Damian wrote.
The Hershey CompanyThe judge also noted that the plaintiffs did not allege the Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkins were defective, worthless, or had lost all economic value because they did not include the decorative carvings.
Hershey had argued that consumers still received the peanut butter and chocolate candy advertised on the packaging. The company also pointed to wording on the packaging identifying the pictured carvings as a “DECORATING SUGGESTION.”
The ruling comes almost exactly one year after Damian dismissed an earlier version of the case in September 2025. The plaintiffs were allowed to amend their complaint, leading to the latest attempt to pursue the case.
The original proposed class action covered several seasonal Reese’s products, including Peanut Butter Pumpkins, Ghosts, Bats, Footballs, Snowmen and Bells.
Following the latest dismissal, attorney James Kelly said the plaintiffs plan to appeal the decision.
“Consumers in Florida deserve to get what they pay for, and it is troubling to see them left without protection,” Kelly said.
I’m Abhishek Sharma, an author at TigerJek.com. I enjoy exploring games, testing different strategies, and turning what I learn into clear, useful guides. My goal is to help players understand the game better and improve without the usual confusion.
