TOUGH COOKIE

Girls Scouts Sued Over Alleged ‘Heavy Metals’ in Cookies

The suit filed in New York on Monday cited a 2024 study which claimed to have found glyphosate and at least four out of five heavy metals in the popular cookies.

A proposed class action lawsuit was filed against the Girl Scouts on Monday night in a federal court in New York by consumers who allege that “heavy metals” and pesticides are present in their popular cookies. The suit, which also lists the nonprofit’s licensed cookie producers ABC Bakers and Ferrero USA’s Little Brownie Bakers, cites a 2024 study that tested samples of 25 cookies from three states and found them to contain at least four of five heavy metals: aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury. The study also claimed that some samples contained glyphosate, a herbicide. “While the entire sales practice system for Girl Scout Cookies is built on a foundation of ethics and teaching young girls sustainable business practices, defendants failed to uphold this standard themselves,” the lawsuit said. The Girl Scouts previously addressed the study in a February blog post where they clarified that heavy metals can occur naturally in soil. They added that glyphosate is “widely used” in agriculture in accordance with EPA standards and is “found nearly everywhere in the food chain.” “The health and safety of Girl Scouts and cookie customers is our top priority,” the post continued. “Rest assured: Girl Scout Cookies are safe to consume.”