When did they stop making Hershey’s syrup in a can?

Hershey’s chocolate syrup is a staple ingredient in many desserts and drinks. Generations of people have grown up using the familiar, distinctive cans to make chocolate milk, ice cream sundaes, and other sweet treats. However, at some point Hershey’s stopped producing their popular syrup in cans and switched to plastic squeeze bottles instead. So when exactly did this change happen?

History of Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup

Hershey’s chocolate syrup first appeared on the market in 1926. It was invented by a Hershey’s employee named Samual Hinkle. He came up with a formula that combined Hershey’s cocoa powder, sugar, corn syrup, and other ingredients to create a tasty, shelf-stable chocolate syrup.

The syrup was an immediate hit with consumers and quickly became a staple in many American households. In the early days, Hershey’s chocolate syrup only came in cans. The metal cans helped preserve the shelf life of the syrup and allowed it to be easily stacked and displayed in stores. The cans also lent a sense of nostalgia, hearkening back to soda shops and ice cream parlors of the early 1900s. Several early ad campaigns for Hershey’s syrup prominently featured the iconic metal cans.

For decades, the canned syrup dominated store shelves across America. Multiple generations grew up using the familiar cans to make chocolatey treats. However, times eventually changed.

The Switch to Plastic Bottles

In the early 1980s, Hershey’s began transitioning their signature syrup from metal cans to plastic squeeze bottles. There were several likely factors that motivated this change:

Benefits of Plastic Bottles

– Easier to use – Plastic squeeze bottles allow you to dispense just the amount of syrup you need in a more controlled way. No more accidentally dumping out too much syrup from the can.

– Lighter weight – Plastic weighs less than metal, which cuts down on shipping costs.

– Reduced materials – Plastic bottles use less raw materials compared to metal cans. This provided a cost savings for Hershey’s.

– Better visualization – The clear plastic bottles allowed consumers to see the syrup inside and monitor how much was left.

– Safety – Plastic removed the sharp edges of metal cans, reducing the hazard of cuts.

– Recyclable – Plastic bottles can be recycled more easily than metal cans in many municipalities.

Drawbacks of Metal Cans

– Messier/harder to dispense – Cans required you to puncture holes or pour spout, which could get messy. Syrup sometimes dribbled down the sides of the can.

– Storing upside down – Once opened, cans had to be stored upside down to keep the thick syrup from clogging the hole. This took up more shelf space.

– Rusting metal – Cans would occasionally rust over time, leading to contaminated syrup.

– Not microwave safe – Metal cans could not be microwaved to heat up syrup.

– More expensive – Metal cans eventually became more costly for Hershey’s to produce compared to plastic.

– Less versatile – Cans were not optimal for new packaging options like squeeze pouches.

The Exact Timing of the Switch

So when exactly did Hershey’s phase out cans in favor of plastic bottles? After consulting various sources, it appears the change happened slowly over the course of the early 1980s.

By reviewing old newspaper archives, it appears that metal cans were still predominantly on store shelves in 1980. However, by 1985, the new plastic bottles had widely replaced metal cans in grocery stores across the United States.

Therefore, the switch away from metal cans likely happened between 1980 and 1985. Hershey’s slowly transitioned their operations and inventory during this window. They probably produced both cans and bottles for a period of time before finally phasing out cans completely by 1985.

1978 Metal cans still standard
1980 Start of transition to plastic bottles
1981-1984 Mixed inventory of cans and bottles
1985 Plastic bottles now dominant package

So for those feeling nostalgic for the vintage syrup cans, it appears 1980 was the last year you could reliably find them on store shelves across America. After that, the move to plastic squeeze bottles was complete.

Why Do Some Remember Cans into the 1990s?

Some people may have memories of still seeing Hershey’s syrup in cans well into the late 1980s or even 1990s. How can this be reconciled with the switch to plastic happening in the early 80s?

There are a few possible explanations:

Regional Lag

The transition from cans to bottles happened gradually over several years. It’s possible some regional markets were slower to sell through their remaining can inventory. Rural areas in particular may have taken longer to switch over. So cans could have lingered in some smaller towns throughout the 80s.

Specialty Stores

Certain specialty retailers like old-fashioned candy shops or soda fountains may have continued stocking the iconic cans well after the mainstream switch. These stores focused on nostalgia and likely held onto cans longer.

Foreign Markets

Hershey’s distributed their chocolate syrup globally. Foreign markets like Canada, Australia, etc. may have transitioned later, so travelers may remember seeing cans abroad after they disappeared from US shelves.

Long Shelflife

With an unopened shelf life of 2-3 years, an old can bought in 1985 could still have been around in 1987 or 1988. So some late 80s cans were likely leftovers purchased a few years earlier.

False Memories

Studies show our memories are highly fallible. The vivid imagery of syrup cans leads many to incorrectly remember them later than they existed. We intuitively associate cans with our childhood, leading to false memories.

So while records show the switch to plastic happening by 1985, various factors led some to encounter cans for several more years. But the majority of cans were gone from stores by the mid-1980s.

The Return of Cans in the 2010s

While Hershey’s replaced cans with plastic in the 1980s, there has been a minor revival of canned syrup decades later.

In recent years, companies like Carnation and Smucker’s have released limited edition runs of chocolate syrup in throwback steel cans. Brands are capitalizing on nostalgia to appeal to longtime customers.

These retro cans are marketed as novelty gifts and collectors items, rather than mainstream packaging. The companies often sell the cans as two-packs bundled together. Prices are premium, typically $10 or more for a set of cans versus $2-3 for a normal bottle.

The return of chocolate syrup cans shows the enduring fondness and nostalgia people have for the iconic metal packaging. It taps into happy childhood memories of making chocolate milk and ice cream sundaes. However, these novelty cans are unlikely to replace plastic bottles as the standard packaging. But they provide a dose of kitschy fun for longtime fans.

2010s Novelty throwback cans reintroduced as gifts/collectors items
2020s Plastic bottles remain standard packaging
Future Cans unlikely to replace plastic but may persist as nostalgic novelty item

Conclusion

Hershey’s chocolate syrup first came on the market in 1926 packaged in iconic metal cans. These cans dominated grocery stores for over 50 years. But by 1980, Hershey’s began transitioning to plastic squeeze bottles. Over the next 5 years, plastic entirely replaced cans and became the new standard packaging.

Despite some sporadic sightings of cans into the late 80s or 90s, records show the switch was largely complete by 1985. Select specialty shops and foreign markets prolonged the existence of cans. But for most American consumers, the familiar metal cans were gone from shelves by the mid 1980s.

While novelty retro cans have occasionally come back, plastic bottles will likely remain the standard for the foreseeable future. The squeezable plastic packaging is simply better suited for syrup’s use and storage compared to old-fashioned metal. But metal syrup cans hold a special place in the hearts of those who grew up making sweet treats with Hershey’s iconic chocolate syrup.

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