Girl Scouts facing lawsuit over ‘dangerous’ heavy metals, toxins in iconic cookies

On Monday, a New York woman sued the organisation, seeking $5 million in damages for US consumers and a mandate for sellers to disclose the presence of harmful substances in the packaging, USA Today reported.

Girl Scouts sued for selling cookies ‘contaminated’ with ‘dangerous’ heavy metals and other toxins

The lawsuit filed by Amy Mayo in federal court claims that the Girl Scouts of America, Ferrero U.S.A. and Interbake Foods sell cookies that contain heavy metals and other toxins, citing a study commissioned by groups Moms Across America and GMO Science.

The study, which was published on the Moms Across America website in December 2024, showed “extremely concerning” results. It said that 100% of the cookies tested contained aluminium, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury.

“One hundred per cent of the 13 types of 25 cookies tested from 3 states, California, Iowa, and Louisiana, were positive for very elevated levels of glyphosate/AMPA,” the study added.

The lawsuit argued that Mayo and other potential plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit would not have purchased the cookies if they knew about the presence of heavy metals. It further claimed that Girl Scouts and other defendants violated consumer protection laws by selling “contaminated” cookies.

“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 added, per the outlet.

However, it is important to note that the study only sampled 25 cookies across three states, which Forbes pointed out in February “doesn’t necessarily reflect contamination levels nationwide.”

Last month, the study was also touted by Joe Rogan, who called the Girl Scouts cookies “toxic” during an episode of his famed podcast. While the organisation has yet to address the lawsuit, it denied the allegations in a blog post published in February.

“Girl Scout Cookies are made with ingredients that adhere to food safety standards set by the FDA and other relevant authorities,” the organisation said at the time. “Small amounts of heavy metals can be found naturally in the environment, including in food products, due to air, water, and soil exposure,” it added.