Hershey, Mars face lawsuit for not labeling candy as containing lead, cadmium

Consumer advocacy group As You Sow has sent legal notices to Hershey, Mars, and See's Candies. The group claims the confectioners have violated California's Proposition 65 law by not labeling foods containing lead and cadmium.

As You Sow found traces of heavy metals in Hershey Scharffen bars, Mars' Dove dark chocolate bars, and See's Candies Extra Dark Chocolate. The group didn't share the exact levels of metal in the chocolates but said one serving of the products in question "exceeded the safe harbor level for reproductive harm," Confectionery News reports.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Hershey told Confectionery News that the California law "does not apply to low levels of mineral in food that are naturally occurring." Hershey maintains that all of its products meet FDA and state standards.

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As You Sow told Confectionery News that its legal notices were "the initiation of litigation," so it could be a while before anything is proven about the candies in question. And while you're probably not going to get lead poisoning by indulging your sweet tooth, this could be a good excuse to cut back on desserts.