As spring approaches and the soggy snow coated grass thaws and flowers start to bloom, the little girls in their green sashes appear at your doorstep and local supermarket wheeling around their delicious boxes of cookies. People, of course, will buy multiple, even dozens of the boxes for two reasons: one, Thin Mints are heavenly (try freezing them FYI), and, two, they are supporting a cause by funding a young woman to learn valuable life skills in her youth and achieve Scouthood.

While the former of those reasons is undeniably true, the latter is one that loses more merit year after year, as the corporation Girl Scouts of America becomes less and less wholesome. The girls in the green sashes have become little worker bees to create the persona of a “good cause” while the corporate flow in the cash.

According to Business Insider, Girl Scout Cookies are the top cookie brand in the United States, commanding a $700 million empire by unloading over 200 million boxes annually. Americans love themselves some Thin Mints, Samoas, and Tagalongs folks. Despite their beloved reputation, the breakdown of all that money is not so honorable. In 2017, first reported by the New York Post, the overall price of cookies jumped, spiking from a range of $3.50 to $4.00 per box to a cool $5.00. The Girl Scouts of America claimed this was done in order to “offset high gluten-free production costs.” That’s justifiable; those who are gluten-free should be able to enjoy a nice Peanut Butter Sandwich and a warm glass of milk.

However, a mere price increase is not what should be taken note of. It is important to keep in mind that the whole reasons cookies are sold is to make money for the Girl Scout, not Girl Scouts. This money goes straight to the girl and her actual troop to finance their activities and scholarships. It is foul and amoral that with the recent price increase, Girl Scouts of America actually lowered the amount that the scout receives. According to WKYC News, an average girl scout received $0.70 to $1.00 per one $4.00 box of cookies in 2016. But, according to Vox, currently at $5.00 a box, only $0.61 stays with the girl. So the cost to cover “gluten-free production” comes out of a little girl’s pocket?

Although scouts are told to “run their cookie sales like a business and not a charity,” the only reason they are a successful business is because they’re viewed as a charity. Although Kevin from The Office loves his cookies, he buys multi-dozen boxes a year because he knows Daryl’s daughter Jada is a Girl Scout and can benefit from the money. We can’t help but walk by those little girls dressed up in Thin Mint costumes yelling “Cookies for Sale!!” and not buy a box. It doesn’t help that when you do walk by, you make that awkward eye contact with the Troop Mom (or Troop Dad), and they give you that look that reads “Come on, I’m putting up with 6 year olds, reach for your wallet.”

While yes, our money still supports the positive upbringing and empowerment of young women, it nonetheless is a piece of a greater capitalistic manipulation. Girl Scouts of America knows what they’re doing; it’s all about propaganda to make you pay the buck, and we let it fly over our heads. Please, continue to enjoy your cookies. Just remember that as you down your cookies like peanuts, only 12 percent of the profit benefit the scouts. The girls only get the crumbs of the cookie.