Boo! That's Reese's Peanut Butter Pumpkins Being Released Shockingly Early

Knock, knock! Who's there? Probably not a trick-or-treater, considering it's still the middle of the summer. On the extremely off chance that a costumed youngster does come a-knockin' at your door hoping to score some treats before October 31, however, Hershey's is doing its part to help you prepare by releasing one of its most iconic Halloween treats earlier than ever.

According to information shared with Mashed, the beloved chocolate brand is kicking off this year's spooky season on July 23, when it will drop the first batch of Reese's Peanut Butter Pumpkins on its website, shop.hersheys.com. For those keeping track, that's nearly a month earlier than when shoppers started spotting 60-count bags of the treat at Costco last year.

The gourd-shaped version of the choco-peanut butter treats (which 31% of people deemed the best candy to receive on Halloween in a Mashed poll) will be offered exclusively in 32-ounce bags for $24.99, and they'll only be available while supplies last. Wearing a costume isn't required while making your online purchase; however, given that Hershey's is starting the Halloween festivities early this year, you're more than welcome to throw on your favorite spooky look as you add a bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Pumpkins to your virtual cart.

The early release of Reese's Peanut Butter Pumpkins isn't just exclusive to Hershey's website. Some grocery stores have already begun stocking their shelves with seasonal candies. On July 17, a Reddit user posted a photo of an undisclosed retailer that has already stocked one of its aisles to the brim with Halloween treats, including bags of what appeared to be Reese's Peanut Butter Pumpkins.

Their post was shared on the r/MildlyInfuriating subreddit, and several respondents seemed to agree that this was an appropriate place for the Redditor's discovery. "I get upset when I see holiday stuff goes up soooo early. It makes life feel so rushed," one person commented. But not everybody is peeved by the summertime appearance of spooky-themed goodies, especially if they're Reese's products. As one commenter wondered, "Why would a glut of Reese's availability be AT ALL infuriating?!"

To their point, Reese's Peanut Butter Pumpkins do contain an unusually high percentage of peanut butter, making the pumpkins taste different from the traditional Reese's cups that are available year-round. Therefore, even though it's July, we can't blame anybody who wants to get a head start stocking up on the P.B.-heavy Halloween treats during Hershey's limited-time online sale.