Girl Scout Cookies: NPR

Girl Scout cookie prices have risen with the impact of inflation. But it’s not all bad news: It seems customers are still willing to pay.

Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

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Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Girl Scout cookie prices have risen with the impact of inflation. But it’s not all bad news: It seems customers are still willing to pay.

Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Inflation has come for Do-si-dos cookies.

Many regional Girl Scout councils are raising the prices of their popular cookies to help cover rising costs at the two commercial bakeries that make the treats.

This means that your favorite box of Samoa that used to sell for $5 will soon cost $6 in many parts of the United States.

“Just like many other products you see in the world, our Girl Scout cookies are not immune to many of the same rising costs,” says Wendy Lo, chief revenue officer for Girl Scouts of the USA.

The increase offers a bittersweet lesson for young cake vendors, including Lou’s 7-year-old daughter, a Brownie in Connecticut.

“That’s part of the conversation we’re going to have this year,” Lu says. “It’s actually a microcosm of what it’s like to run your business and deal with real pressures – including inflation.”

Telling customers is the hard part

Many troops on the West Coast have already raised their cookie prices, and that has been an adjustment for both the Girl Scouts and their clients.

Ten-year-old Madison Batstone had already saved the cost of up to 12 boxes of cookies at the old price of $5 per box. Now, she has to multiply by $6 and hold a large number of $1 bills to make the change.

Some cookie lovers are surprised when their Thin Mint purchasing power is less than it used to be. A $20 bill that was used to buy four boxes of cookies now covers only three — with a few dollars left over.

“They’re like, ‘What?'” Madison says. “That was one of the hard parts: telling people that inflation has arrived in their nostalgic cookies.”

Madison still managed to sell more than 2,400 boxes this year, making it one of San Diego’s top sellers.

Most customers understand. It was the first price increase in San Diego since 2015. While a 20% jump sounds like a lot, store-bought cookie prices have risen 23% in the past two years, according to inflation data compiled by the U.S. Department of Labor.

“If they ask about a price increase, we will politely explain to them that, unfortunately, due to ongoing inflation across the country right now, we have had to raise our prices so that we can make a profit and provide these programs to people.” “Girls,” says Ashley Hilliard, a high school sophomore who has been selling Girl Scout cookies for a decade.

“Tagalong effect”

Proceeds from cookie sales cover about 70% of Girl Scouts of San Diego’s budget.

Each council sets its own cake prices, but neighboring councils often move together in what might be called the “tagalong effect”. Girl Scout councils across California adopted a record cookie price of $6 a box this year. They saw little, if any, decline in sales.

“Most, if not all of us, have had a very successful cookie program,” says Carol Diedrich, CEO of Girl Scouts of San Diego. “We had the best program since before COVID.”

Nationally, Girl Scouts sells about 200 million boxes of cookies annually. That’s more than just Oreos, though: Girl Scout cookies are on sale for only a few months a year — usually between January and April.

“Low price” signs are displayed at a grocery store in Los Angeles on October 12. Inflation is gradually moderating, although it continues to affect people across the United States.

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“Low price” signs are displayed at a grocery store in Los Angeles on October 12. Inflation is gradually moderating, although it continues to affect people across the United States.

Mario Tama/Getty Images

Marketing expert — and former Girl Scout — Sally Lyons White doesn’t expect a $1 price increase to significantly impact sales.

“Because it’s not just about cookies, right?” says Lyons White, executive vice president at Circana, a global market research firm. “Now, of course, if they do something crazy like it’s going to cost you $20 for one little package, well, then maybe we’ll find there’s a cliff. But if we’re talking about a nominal price increase, I’m not in favor of that. I don’t think it would have an impact on demand.” “

Madison is already boosting her sales for the upcoming cake season, as she hopes to break her own record by selling 2,500 boxes.

“The season is not very long,” Madison says. “You’d have to wait a whole year to get it again, so you might as well stock up on it.”