Girl Scouts sued over alleged heavy metals and pesticides in cookies

The Girl Scouts have been sued by consumers over the alleged presence of “heavy metals” and pesticides in its popular Thin Mints and other cookies.

A proposed class action lawsuit was filed on Monday night in federal court in the New York City borough of Brooklyn against the 113-year-old nonprofit and the cookies’ licensed producers, ABC Bakers and Ferrero USA’s Little Brownie Bakers.

It cited a December 2024 study commissioned by GMO Science and Moms Across America that tested samples of 25 cookies from three U.S. states.

The study said Girl Scout cookies contained at least four of five heavy metals – aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury – that can harm people’s health or the environment, often at levels exceeding regulators’ recommended limits.

It also said all samples contained glyphosate, a pesticide used in some weed killers, with Thin Mints containing the highest levels.

“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 defendants did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Girl Scouts, short for Girl Scouts of the United States of America, addressed the study in a February 6 blog post.

It said heavy metals occur naturally in soil, with trace amounts not a safety issue, while glyphosate is found “nearly everywhere” in the food chain. Girl Scouts also said its bakers are committed to complying with all food safety standards.

“The health and safety of Girl Scouts and cookie customers is our top priority,” the New York-based nonprofit said.  “Rest assured: Girl Scout Cookies are safe to consume.”

Cookies are sold by registered Girl Scouts from January to April, with net proceeds supporting councils and local troops. About 200 million boxes are sold annually, NPR reported in 2023.

The lawsuit is led by Amy Mayo, a resident of Bayside, New York.

Mayo said she bought numerous Girl Scout products such as Adventurefuls, Peanut Butter Patties and Caramel deLites, believing they were “quality and safe cookies.”

She said she would not have bought the cookies or “would have paid substantially less” had Girl Scouts disclosed the presence of “dangerous toxins.”

The lawsuit seeks at least $5 million in damages for U.S. cookie purchasers, for alleged violations of New York consumer protection laws, and an injunction requiring accurate labeling.

Blake Yagman, a lawyer for Mayo, in an interview said the government does not adequately regulate many privately sold products such as Girl Scout cookies.

“Lead is our foremost concern, but the presence of the other four heavy metals and pesticides is deeply concerning, especially because these products are marketed to and sold by children,” he said.

Several chocolate makers including Hershey faced lawsuits after Consumer Reports in December 2022 found elevated levels of cadmium, lead or both in their products.

The case is Mayo v Girl Scouts of the United States of America et al, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York, No. 25-01367.

—Jonathan Stempel, Reuters

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