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Girl Scout Cookies® FAQs Buying Girl Scout Cookies Selling Girl Scout Cookies
Cookie Revenue
Product Information
Buying Girl Scout Cookies Q: How can I buy Girl Scout Cookies? A: Purchase Girl Scout Cookies from girls who are Girl Scouts locally. To find them, contact your local Girl Scout council by:
Selling Girl Scout Cookies is an important component of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience for girls. Each Girl Scout council develops the procedures and guidelines for its cookie activities, including the dates when you can order or purchase cookies and the price per box. A council conducts only one cookie sale per year. Most of these activities take place between January and April, but some occur as early as September.
A: Girl Scouts of the USA does not currently allow online sales, but its cookie site GirlScoutCookies.org can help you locate girls selling in your community. Simply visit www.GirlScoutCookies.org Selling Girl Scout Cookies Q: Who can sell Girl Scout Cookies? A: Starting Fall 2008 all girl members, including Girl Scout Daisies, may participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Activity. Although parents and Girl Scout adults may assist girls, it is the girl who closes the sale, sets learning and sales goals, and learns the business leadership skills that are part of the program. Participation in this Girl Scout program activity is voluntary.
A: As part of their experience, Girl Scouts can earn these age-appropriate awards:
A: Each local Girl Scout council develops all of the procedures and guidelines for conducting its cookie activities, including developing a council cookie participation patch. If you have a question or concern, the national Girl Scout organization will be glad to listen, but all decisions concerning cookie activities are made by your local Girl Scout council. Please contact your local council and ask for assistance. The national Girl Scout organization sets basic safety rules for all Girl Scout program activities, including participating in cookie activities. Specific guidelines for cookie activities, including requirements for cookie incentives, are developed and managed locally. See revised Safety-Wise Standards and Guidelines on the Cookie Activity page.
A: The safety and security of our members is always our chief concern. We have strict guidelines for safety. Girl Scouts, depending on their age, must be accompanied or supervised by an adult when selling Girl Scout cookies and always use the buddy system. Girls that are doing online marketing (not online sales) read and discuss the Girl Scout Internet Safety Pledge. Girls print out the pledge and ask their parents (or guardians), to read and sign the pledge together. Additionally, we offer letmeknow.girlscouts.org (for adults) and lmk.girlscouts.org (for girls), sites for general help on staying safe online.
A: The Girl Scout Cookie Program is not just about cookies. These annual activities offer many opportunities for hands-on entrepreneurial activities in the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. We find that most girls in Girl Scouting thoroughly enjoy this activity and look forward to it each year. Participation in this activity is voluntary and requires written permission by a parent or guardian. Girl Scout product activities are a way for girls to finance their Girl Scout activities and special projects, as well as contribute to assuring that all girls have opportunities through Girl Scouting in their community.
A: Yes! To do so, registered Girl Scouts must abide by guidelines published by Girl Scouts of the USA and the local Girl Scout council and be supervised by a council trained adult. For more information about how Girl Scouts not in troops in your area can participate in this activity, please contact your local Girl Scout council.
A: Girls may participate in a council approved "gift of caring" program that allows girls to collect donations of cookies for military personnel serving overseas. In Revised Safety-Wise Checkpoints, "any gifts in quantity to military overseas should be coordinated through military or related personnel at the place of origin and the place of receipt. Large shipments should have a council agreement with the third party to assure that the cookies arrive where intended. Gifts should not be sent to U.S. bases or bases overseas where there are Girl Scouts involved in product activity sales. Girl Scouts should observe council jurisdiction when selling or marketing product for a gifting program." Cookie Revenue Q: When I buy Girl Scout Cookies, where does the money go? A: With every purchase, approximately 70% of the proceeds stays in the local Girl Scout council to provide a portion of the resources needed to support Girl Scouting in that area, including a portion that goes directly to the group selling the cookies. The balance goes directly to the baker to pay for the cookies.
A: All of the revenue—every penny after paying the baker—earned from cookie activities stays with the local Girl Scout council that sponsors the sale, including a portion that goes directly to the group selling cookies. Councils use their cookie revenue to supply essential services to troops, groups, and individual girls, such as providing program resources and communication support, training adult volunteers, and conducting special events. The Girl Scout council's volunteer board of directors:
A: That decision is made by each local Girl Scout council, so the portion varies from one council to another. Nationwide, an individual group receives from 12-17% of the purchase price of each box sold. The group holds the money earned in its treasury, and its girl members vote on how to use that money.
A: No and Yes.
A: No. Absolutely none of the money from any Girl Scout council-sponsored cookie sale is given to any other group. All of the revenue—every penny after paying for the cookies—from all cookie sale activities supports the local Girl Scout council where the cookies are sold, including a portion that goes directly to the group selling cookies. The purpose of selling cookies is to help girls develop a wide range of skills and to generate revenue to support Girl Scouting locally. All of the proceeds from the sale of Girl Scout Cookies goes to support girls in Girl Scouting. No money is given to any organization other than Girl Scouts. Girls may choose, however, to use money earned through product activities to purchase materials for a community action leadership project to benefit the community.
A: The local Girl Scout Councils decide how all of money from cookie sales (except the money going to the baker that produced the cookies) is divided up. The bakers pay a royalty out of their share to Girl Scouts of the USA for use of the licensed trademarks. No other revenue from cookie sales goes to Girl Scouts of the USA. Girl Scouts of the USA provides contractual services and approves all educational materials developed by the bakers, as well as providing coordination and training for national media, safety standards, leadership programs and sale guidelines. Product Information Q: Who bakes Girl Scout Cookies? A: Two commercial bakers are licensed by the national Girl Scout organization, Girl Scouts of the USA, to produce Girl Scout Cookies: ABC/Interbake Foods and Little Brownie Bakers.
A: Licensed bakers can offer up to eight varieties of Girl Scout Cookies; only three types are mandatory: Thin Mints, Peanut Butter Sandwich/Do-si-dos® and Shortbread/Trefoils. The national Girl Scout organization reviews and approves all varieties proposed by the bakers. Any of the five optional cookies can be changed every year. Each bakery names its own cookies, so Girl Scout Cookies that are quite similar may have different names. Suggestions for new cookies are welcome, but the national Girl Scout organization can make no promise to use them. To see a listing of all current varieties of Girl Scout Cookies along with pictures and descriptions, go to www.girlscoutcookies.org/meet_the_cookies.asp
A: Girl Scout Cookies are sold by weight, not by size or number. The number and size of cookies may vary by variety. The national Girl Scout organization, Girl Scouts of the USA, monitors the weights of the cookies, which are set by contract. Girl Scout Cookies sell for different prices in different areas of the country. Each of the 100 plus local Girl Scout councils has the right to set its own price based on its needs and knowledge of the local market. Today's prices, currently $2.50 to $4.00 per box, depending on location, reflect both the current cost of cookies and the realities of providing Girl Scout activities in an ever-changing economic environment.
A: Yes. All Girl Scout Cookies are kosher.
A: The biggest sellers are: 25% Thin Mints The other varieties combined account for the remaining 23%.
A: Check out the Web sites of these two licensed bakers:
A: Contact your local Girl Scout council if for any reason you are not satisfied with a box of Girl Scout Cookies® you purchased. Volunteers or staff at the council will be glad to help you.
A: All of the girls pictured on the boxes are registered Girl Scouts. Every box shows Girl Scouts—in action—having fun and growing strong.
A: So that consumers can make an informed choice, the ingredients and nutritional profile of each variety are clearly listed on both the cookie box and the cookie order form. Additionally, each of the bakers licensed by Girl Scouts of the USA to produce Girl Scout Cookies lists specific product information in the "Cookies" section of their respective Web sites. Here are the links:
A: No. Girl Scout Cookies do not contain preservatives. They are all made with pure vegetable shortening, are kosher, and freeze well to extend their shelf life.
A: For several decades, it was thought that partially hydrogenated oils—sometimes referred to as trans fats—were a healthier food choice compared with saturated fats. In recent years, data has emerged suggesting that, in fact, trans fats are not a healthier choice than saturated fats. Girl Scouts of the USA is proud that all Girl Scout cookies are "zero trans fat per serving" with the same great taste that has made them one of America's favorite treats over the years. All varieties contain less than 0.5 grams trans fat per serving, which meets or exceeds the FDA guidelines for the "zero trans fat" designation. Girl Scouts of the USA has worked diligently with our bakers over the past several years to address the issue of trans fats. We began listing the amount of trans fats one full year before FDA requirements went into effect. It is important to remember that Girl Scout Cookies are a snack food and are meant to be consumed in limited quantities within the context of a balanced diet. So that consumers can make an informed choice, the ingredients and nutritional profile of each variety are clearly listed on both the cookie box and the cookie order form, and also on the Web site www.girlscoutcookies.org/nutrition_info_2008_2009.asp
A: Our cookie bakers tell us it is still necessary to use tropical oils for the production of compound coating. Many top bakers have tried to stop using it, but without it, their products do not meet production standards. There are currently eight varieties of Girl Scout Cookies produced by each baker licensed to produce Girl Scout Cookies. Each of our bakers and their palm oil suppliers are members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), an organization of growers, buyers, manufacturers, conservationists and interested parties who are striving to develop and follow best practices to ensure sustainability. Each baker produces Girl Scout Cookie varieties without palm oil. For more information, check the bakers' Web sites:
A: While tracing farming practices is very difficult and the problems identified with it very complex, our licensed bakers continue to assure us that they are working with their main suppliers of chocolate and with the Chocolate Manufacturer's Association (CMA), of which both licensed bakers are members, on the issues of slavery and abusive child labor as it relates to the production and purchase of chocolate. The chocolate suppliers and the CMA strongly condemn the use of slavery and abusive labor practices. Their goal is to support the governments and advocacy groups that will make a difference in the lives of the cacao farmers as well as to give assurances to consumers that the cocoa has been farmed under appropriate working conditions.
A: For consumer convenience, each of our two licensed bakers lists dietary exchanges on the cookie box and cookie order form so people with diabetes and adults with children with diabetes can make informed choices. The amount of sugar and carbohydrates is also listed. Dietary exchanges should always be consulted, even if a product is labeled "sugarless." For more information, check the bakers' Web sites:
A: The ingredients and nutritional elements of all cookies are listed on the cookie order forms and the side of the cookie box so those concerned about carbohydrates can make informed choices. For more information, check the bakers' Web sites:
A: Starting with our youngest members, the Girl Scout organization promotes a healthy lifestyle for its girl members, which includes a well-balanced diet and plenty of exercise. Our health and fitness programs encourage girls to adopt healthy fitness and eating habits early in life and continue them into adulthood. Girls are also taught to consider ingredient contribution to their overall diet and portion size when choosing snacks. In addition, the Girl Scout Research Institute (GSRI) released a research review entitled Weighing In: Helping Girls Be Healthy Today, Healthy Tomorrow. Weighing In addresses various underlying causes leading to the epidemic of obesity and of being overweight among children and adolescents and the lifestyles, culture, and behavior that have contributed to this condition. Read more about this research review.
A: The demand for specialty cookie formulations is simply not great enough to make it economically feasible to offer a variety of specialty types. Of all the different possible formulations, sugar-free seems to be the most popular, yet in the past, even the sugar-free Girl Scout cookies that have been offered have had to be discontinued due to lack of demand. Our baker's continue to experiment and develop formulations that balance the best tasting cookies using the healthiest ingredients. |
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