Hershey Warns of Potential 'Trick or Treat' Candy Shortage at Halloween

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Trick-or-treaters may not get to indulge their sweet tooths as much as they hoped this Halloween.

Chocolate maker Hershey has warned that a candy shortage could be imminent due to supply chain issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

As a result, Hershey is not going to be able to produce as many regular or Halloween-themed treats as customers want.

"We will not be able to fully meet consumer demand," Hershey CEO Michele Buck said in prepared remarks ahead of the company's Q2 earnings call Thursday, reported Reuters.

Buck added that the company is facing a shortage of essential ingredients such as cocoa and edible oil. In order to source the ingredients it needs, Hershey is now having to locate other suppliers, which is both costly and time-consuming.

RELATED: The Best Halloween Candy and Spooky Sweet Treats to Snack on This Year

"We had a strategy of prioritizing everyday on-shelf availability," Buck told CNN Thursday. "That was a choice that we needed to make. It was a tough decision."

To cope with the situation Hershey is planning to introduce extra manufacturing lines to meet expected growth in demand over the next couple of years.

The 128-year-old company said in a news release that the profit from its predicted sales growth is also expected to more than offset any losses incurred by the current scarcity of resources.

Courtesy Macy's, Inc

Regardless of whether you have enough Kit Kats or Cookies 'n' Creme Fangs for Halloween, Dr. Gary Kirkilas, a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics, has offered a set of easy do's and don'ts for staying safe on the spookiest night of the year.

"In general, I tell parents that outdoor activities are always best. So if you're doing outdoor trick-or-treating, that's a perfect way to enjoy the season," Kirkilas told PEOPLE.

RELATED: Pfizer Says Its COVID-19 Vaccine Is 'Safe, Well Tolerated' Among Kids 5 to 11 with Lower Doses

As for the ideal number of people in your trick-or-treating pack, Kirkland said it depends on the group's age and their vaccination status.

"If you were vaccinated, there's really no issue," he explained. "And of course, that implies the child is 12 and up, and eligible for vaccine, and that they did get the vaccine. If you're 12 and up, I don't think it should really matter how many are in your group."

"(But) If you're unvaccinated, or the child is under the age of 12, I would recommend single households only trick-or-treating together," Kirkland added.