I understand trying to cut into the market of other popular brands like Oreo and Tide. Name brands do all the heavy-lifting to promote and market their brand so when you see them at the store, then you see a reasonable likeness for less price, you may think to yourself 'well, it's the same ingredients. They look the same and probably taste the same so I'll save money,' that's all your decision. But when I saw these cookies that are obviously trying to cut into the Girl Scout fundraiser they do every year, that's just low. Even for Walmart.

Big brands like Coca-Cola is a business that spends millions on marketing and advertising and it works. Even when people buy the generic brand sometimes, they still sell enough to make it worth it.

Girl Scout cookies, however, are sold as a fundraising effort where that money goes to support the local council through troop events, training, membership support and more. The girl scouts aren't selling cookies to feed a giant corporation. Walmart is.

The price makes them very tempting, too.

Girl Scout Cookies: $4 a box
Great Value Cookies: $1.38 a pack

They only had three varieties. Fudge Mint which is like Thin Mints, Caramel Coconut & Fudge which is like Samoas (Caramel deLites) and Fudge Covered Peanut Butter which are like Tagalongs (Peanut Butter Patties). Not sure if they plan on other ones later. They may be just doing these are they're probably the three biggest sellers for Girl Scouts.

Now, I should also point out I don't hate Walmart. I seem to find myself there at least a couple of times every week whether it's because I need a cold medicine or breakfast cereal or something. I think the store is designed nicely to find exactly what I need in a hurry. I have no beef with Walmart as a corporation, but the fact they're selling Girl Scout cookies and during a time when Girl Scouts are about to be out in full-force selling cookies, sometimes even in front of Walmart, that's not cool.

Walmart isn't the only to blame. Keebler has had cookies that are very similar to some of the girl scout cookies, too, but not at this price point.

I have to admit, I did buy one of each just to see if they tasted the same. Like most 'Great Value' products, it was close enough. I'd have to do a blind taste test to see if they're identical but they were about spot on. The Fudge Mint cookies didn't seem as firm or 'crisp' as Thin Mints. that's about all I could tell.

This article may have done more harm than good. Maybe you're looking at this thinking yourself '$1.38 for a thin mint knock-off, I'm in!' and that's fine. Just wanted to bring it to your attention.

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