Why are there millions of unsold Girl Scout Cookies?
GIRL Scouts of the USA are dealing with an unusual problem, and it has nothing to do with a company-wide backorder. According to the Associated Press, Girl Scouts of the USA have millions of unsold cookies sitting in bakeries. According to the 109-year-old company, the coronavirus is the main culprit behind the latest unusual problem. Because of the pandemic, local Girl Scout troops nationwide canceled their spring sale routes this year due to Covid safety reasons. This is unfortunate, but given this is a girl-driven program and the majority of cookies are sold in-person, it was to be expected, Kelly Parisi, a spokeswoman for Girl Scouts of the USA, told the AP. Before Covid, Girl Scouts of the USA sell about 300million boxes a year, generating $800million in sales, which is used for programming and camps. 4 According to the company, the coronavirus is one of the main culprit behind their unusual problem Credit: Getty - Contributor  Aside from Covid, declining membership played a role in the company before the pandemic. Around 1.7million girls were enrolled in Girl Scouts in 2019, down almost 30 percent from 2009. Furthermore, child labor that is used for palm oil in the cookies also impacted the century-old company, the AP reported in December. Some local troops boycotted the sales this year because of the palm oil report. Environmentalists have likewise cited the spread of palm oil plantations in Asia as a key destroyer of habitats for endangered animals including orangutans. Without girls, there is no cookie program. Unfortunately, it took a global pandemic to bring all the problems to the surface, Agenia Clark, president and CEO of Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee, told the AP  4 Because of the pandemic, local Girl Scout troops nationwide canceled their spring sale routes due to safety reasons. The Girl Scout council is encouraging people to buy boxes online through its Hometown Heroes program, which donates cookies to health care workers, firefighters, and other first responders. During the spring of 2021, when troops usually set up booths to sell cookies in person, US Covid cases were still near their peak, as hundreds of girls opted not to sell cookies in person. Online sales and even a delivery partnership with Grubhub failed to make up the difference. As a result, around 15million boxes of cookies were leftover as the cookie season wound down. Around 12million boxes remain with the two bakers, Louisville, Kentucky-based Little Brownie Bakers and Brownsburg, Indiana-based ABC Bakers. CHECK THIS OUT This stimulus check tool will help you track down your payment  Another three million boxes are in the hands of the Girl Scout councils, which are scrambling to sell or donate them. Little Brownie Bakers and ABC Bakers are working with the Girl Scouts to sell or donate cookies to places like food banks and the military. The cookies have a 12-month shelf life.