Hershey added a “Carving not on actual product” line to Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkins packaging after years of lawsuits over the candy’s missing jack-o’-lantern face.
Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkins have a new line on the front of the bag, and it’s a direct answer to a very specific complaint.
The packaging now reads “Carving not on actual product.” It replaces the old “Decorating Suggestion” wording that used to sit next to the picture of a carved pumpkin.
In other words, Hershey wants you to know, in writing, that your peanut butter pumpkin will not have a face.
Why do Reese’s Pumpkins have a disclaimer now?
The change follows a pair of lawsuits that claimed the candy didn’t look like the picture.
The packaging shows a Reese’s pumpkin with carved eyes and a mouth, like a jack-o’-lantern. The actual candy is a smooth, round blob of chocolate and peanut butter. Shoppers who sued said that gap was misleading.
Hershey hasn’t publicly explained the new label. NBC10 Philadelphia and other outlets started reporting on it around Oct. 6.
What happened with the Reese’s Pumpkin lawsuit?
The most recent case was filed in May 2024 in federal court in South Florida by two shoppers. They argued the carved-face artwork on Reese’s Halloween and holiday shapes promised something the candy didn’t deliver.
U.S. District Judge Melissa Damian dismissed an earlier version of the suit in September 2025. The plaintiffs tried again, and she dismissed the case a second time on Sept. 16, 2026, without prejudice. That means it could be refiled.
Her reasoning was blunt. The judge wrote that “their only injury is their subjective disappointment,” according to Reuters.
Hershey had argued in a court filing that the buyers got what they bargained for. The company declined to comment to Reuters.
The plaintiffs’ lawyer, James Kelly, told Reuters his clients plan to appeal. “Consumers in Florida deserve to get what they pay for,” he said.
Wasn’t there an earlier Reese’s lawsuit?
Yes. A separate $5 million class action was filed in December 2023 by a Florida woman in a different federal court.
That suit said she expected a “cute-looking carving of a pumpkin’s mouth and eyes,” according to CBS News. It made national headlines and turned the faceless pumpkin into a Halloween punchline. At the time, Hershey told CBS News it “cannot comment on pending legal cases.”
Between the two cases, the Reese’s pumpkin has spent about three Halloween seasons in court.
Will Reese’s Pumpkins look different now?
No. The candy itself isn’t changing. It’s still the same peanut butter cup filling in a rounded pumpkin shape, with no carving.
Only the box art’s fine print is new. The carved-face picture can stay because the label now spells out that it’s just a picture.
That’s a pretty common move in food packaging. Cereal boxes say “enlarged to show texture,” and frozen dinners say “serving suggestion.” Reese’s just picked the most literal wording possible.
Where can you buy Reese’s Pumpkins?
Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkins are a seasonal item, so they show up in Halloween candy aisles at most grocery stores, drugstores and big-box chains in the fall.
They come as single pumpkins, multipacks and snack-size bags. Hershey also makes Reese’s Trees for Christmas, Reese’s Hearts for Valentine’s Day and Reese’s Eggs for Easter, all using the same shaped-cup idea.
If you want jack-o’-lantern faces for a Halloween party, you’ll have to add them yourself. A toothpick and a steady hand will do it.
So, the pumpkin will look exactly the same as it did last year. Now the bag just admits it.
Article compiled with the help of the Pirates & Princesses newsroom.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
Reuters via Insurance Journal, Sept. 18, 2026: Sept. 16 dismissal, Judge Melissa Damian quote, James Kelly quote, Hershey response
NBC10 Philadelphia, Oct. 7, 2026: new “Carving not on actual product” wording, old “Decorating Suggestion” line
AFS Law, Sept. 21, 2026: dismissal without prejudice
Daily Voice, Oct. 8, 2026: May 2024 filing date
CBS News Philadelphia, Dec. 29, 2023: earlier $5 million class action and quote
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