New York Woman Sues Girl Scouts Over Contaminated Cookies Claims

NEW YORK, March 12, 2025 – A New York woman has initiated a class-action lawsuit against Girl Scouts of the USA, claiming that the organization sells cookies contaminated with harmful metals and pesticides. The suit was filed by Amy Mayo on March 10 in federal court, alleging that both the Girl Scouts and their cookie manufacturers, Ferrero and ABC Bakers, failed to ensure the safety of their products.

The lawsuit seeks $5 million in damages, asserting that Girl Scouts cookies are tainted with hazardous substances including aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, and glyphosate, a pesticide found in many herbicides. Mayo contends that extensive testing conducted in late 2024 indicated all samples of cookies tested—coming from California, Iowa, and Louisiana—contained at least four out of five heavy metals. The complaint argues that the results were consistent across different geographic areas to enhance the reliability of the findings.

According to the study commissioned by GMO Science and Moms Across America, 100% of the samples, which included various cookie types such as Thin Mints and Samoas, contained disturbing levels of contaminants. The study remarked that Thin Mints showed the highest levels of glyphosate.

In light of the lawsuit, the Girl Scouts released a statement on February 6, emphasizing that their cookies are produced in adherence to food safety regulations. They mentioned that heavy metals can naturally occur in soil and that trace amounts of glyphosate can be found across numerous food products. “These metals are not added to our Girl Scout Cookies,” the statement asserted.

The controversy surrounding the cookies gained traction earlier this year when findings from the study circulated on social media, particularly TikTok, leading to unfounded rumors of a recall by the FDA. However, the FDA has not issued any recalls for Girl Scout cookies, nor have they classified the levels of contaminants noted in the study as dangerous. The lawsuit, led by Mayo, highlights the large-scale sales of Girl Scout cookies, which generate over $1 billion annually, and their marketing targeted towards children.

Furthermore, Mayo explained that she believed she was purchasing quality and safe products, stating she would not have made the purchases if she had known of the “dangerous toxins” in them. The complaint aims to establish damages for consumers across the United States who have bought Girl Scout cookies since the statute of limitations began.

Blake Yagman, Mayo’s attorney, remarked, “Lead is particularly concerning, but the presence of other harmful metals and pesticides is alarming, especially given these products are marketed towards children.” The case is noted as Mayo v. Girl Scouts of the United States of America et al, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.