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The US and international formulas are not the same— here's exactly what changed and why.
Hershey USA
| Ingredient | 🇺🇸 US Version | 🌍 International | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tbhq | ✅ Not present | ✅ Not present | Banned Overseas |
The same company makes both versions — but they use different formulas depending on where the product is sold. In the EU, UK, and Canada, regulations require either banning certain additives outright or mandating warning labels (e.g., "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children" for certain synthetic dyes).
Rather than print warning labels, most manufacturers reformulate the product for international markets — using natural colorants like paprika extract, beetroot concentrate, or spirulina instead of petroleum-derived synthetic dyes.
The US FDA has a different standard: it deems additives "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS) based on older safety data, while EFSA (the European Food Safety Authority) applies stricter precautionary principles and requires manufacturers to prove safety rather than assume it.
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups originally had just 9 ingredients; today the US version has 14, including TBHQ — a synthetic preservative banned at Whole Foods and heavily restricted outside the US. TBHQ is not authorized as a food additive in the EU. Hershey added TBHQ and PGPR after taking over the brand, replacing cocoa butter with a cheaper emulsifier and adding chemical preservatives that were absent in the original recipe.
Find clean brands without these ingredients — organized by category.