6 months ago
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NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Girl Scouts person been sued by consumers implicit the alleged beingness of "heavy metals" and pesticides successful its popular Thin Mints and different cookies.
A projected people enactment was filed connected Monday nighttime successful the Brooklyn, New York national tribunal 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, which tested samples of 25 cookies from 3 U.S. states.
The survey said Girl Scout cookies contained astatine slightest 4 of 5 dense metals - aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, pb and mercury - that tin harm people's wellness oregon the environment, often astatine levels exceeding regulators' recommended limits.
It besides said each samples contained glyphosate, a pesticide utilized successful immoderate weed killers, with Thin Mints containing the highest levels.
"While the full income signifier strategy for Girl Scout Cookies is built connected a instauration of morals and teaching young girls sustainable concern practices, defendants failed to uphold this modular themselves," the suit said.
The defendants did not instantly respond to requests for comment.
Girl Scouts addresses the allegations
Girl Scouts, abbreviated for Girl Scouts of the United States of America, addressed the survey successful a February 6 blog post.
It said dense metals hap people successful soil, with hint amounts not a information issue, portion glyphosate is recovered "nearly everywhere" successful the nutrient chain. Girl Scouts besides said its bakers are committed to complying with each nutrient information standards.
"The wellness and information of Girl Scouts and cooky customers is our apical priority," the New York-based nonprofit said. "Rest assured: Girl Scout Cookies are harmless to consume."
Cookies are sold by registered Girl Scouts from January to April, with nett proceeds supporting councils and section troops.
The suit is led by Amy Mayo, a nonmigratory of Bayside, New York.
Mayo said she bought galore Girl Scout products specified arsenic Adventurefuls, Peanut Butter Patties and Caramel deLites, believing they were "quality and harmless cookies."
She said she would not person bought the cookies oregon "would person paid substantially less" had Girl Scouts disclosed the beingness of "dangerous toxins."
Girl Scout cooky suit seeks $5M
The suit seeks astatine slightest $5 cardinal successful damages for U.S. cooky purchasers, for alleged violations of New York user extortion laws.
Several cocoa makers including Hershey faced lawsuits after Consumer Reports successful December 2022 recovered elevated levels of cadmium, pb oregon some successful their products.
The lawsuit 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.
