Bud Light Sales Plunge 26% As Anti-Trans Backlash Ramps Up

[speak easy]

Sales of Bud Light have continued to drop as backlash from the brand’s more conservative customers continues following the company’s decision to partner with transgender TikTok influencer Dylan Mulvaney for a promotional video back in March.

In the week ending April 22, the brand’s in-store sales dropped more than 26%, according to figures from Bump Williams Consulting, a firm specializing in the alcoholic beverage industry. In the week prior, sales of Bud Light dropped 21% after dropping 11% the week before that.

While Bud Light currently remains the bestselling beer in America, generating more than $4.8 billion in sales in 2022 — ahead of second-place Modelo Especial, at $3.75 billion, and Michelob Ultra, at $3.3 billion — some observers, including beverage expert Bump Wiliams, have begun to fear that if sales continue to drop heading into the summer months, Modelo could eventually replace Bud Light as the nation’s top-selling beer.

Already, sales of Bud Light are off 8% for the year.

https://www.metroweekly.com/2023/05/bud-light-sales-plunge-as-anti-trans-backlash-continues/

FNC have been campaigning on this big time.

[Caliman73]

1. All three of those beers are owned by Anheuser-Busch

I know that Bud Light is its own company and brand, and has separate structure, but it is funny to think that Conservatives think they are sticking it to Anheuser Busch by not buying Bud Light and switching to an other brand sold by the same company.

[speak easy]

3. Not the sharpest swordfish in the sea.

[onenote]

7. I don't think Modelo is owned by A-B in the US

[unc70]

10. Constellation Brands is the US distributor

Grupo Modelo is owned 100% by InBev. It is also the distributor in Mexico of A-B beers.

[onenote]

16. Thanks

[Caliman73]

14. I think it is

Grupo Modelo is a large brewery in Mexico that exports beer to most countries of the world. Its export brands include Corona, Modelo, and Pacífico. Wikipedia
Number of employees: 40,617
Founder: Pablo Diez Fernandez
Founded: 1925, Mexico City, Mexico
Beer owner: Anheuser-Busch InBev vinepair.com
Parent organizations: AB InBev, InBev
Subsidiaries: Cerveceria Modelo, S. de R.L. de C.V., MORE

[In It to Win It]

25. The rights in the USA don't belong AB though

... for anti-trust concerns I think.

If we're talking about the USA, Modelo is of another company's portfolio.

ETA: I would assume that AB is maybe getting a royalty because I would think the brand is still theirs. However, I'm speculating at this point because I don't really know.

[unc70]

9. InBev (parent of AB) has over 400 beer brands

Leading beers around the world including some "microbrews".

[MichMan]

21. How do you know people boycotting Bud Light are switching to another AB brand?

All it states is that other AB brands are popular.

[former9thward]

23. Miller Lite and Coors Light sales have jumped.

They are not owned by A-B.

According to beer industry news site Brewhound, while Bud Light numbers have been in decline for weeks, “Coors Light increased dollar sales (+10.7%), volume (+5.5%) and dollar share (+1.5%), while Miller Lite increased dollar sales (+16.9%), volume (+11.7%) and dollar share (+2.3%) for the week ending in April 8.”

https://www.outkick.com/miller-lite-coors-light-sales-soar-as-bud-light-plummets/

[FoxNewsSucks]

2. I expect MAGAts to be that stupid,

but I'm really surprised at that drop in sales. That's more than just MAGAts.

[inthewind21]

17. Indeed

But everyone would like for you to think it's MAGATS! And the Trans blaming for this, well "woke" beer appeared 1 day, ONE DAY before A-B end of quarter. They were already falling. I read an article somewhere about Mexican Beers outselling. I'll see if I can find it again.

[Amishman]

26. Yes, this is surprisingly broad

Especially since I'm seeing sales on Bud beers to try and move inventory.

There's a lot of this country that is not very progressive / open on trans rights or acceptance.

[Sympthsical]

27. Marketing

Companies really do not want their consumers thinking too much about their products once they're buying them. Many people who have bought Bud Light for years probably did so out of habit, giving it very little thought.

Now, they're thinking about it. Not because of being pro-trans or anti-trans, but because they're now wondering if their buying the beer is making a political statement of some kind.

It's not uncommon for the apolitical to shy away from products that get mired in controversy. They just don't want to be involved.

As Bud Light becomes a political item - a political purchase - some people will bounce.

[Thomas Hurt]

4. AB should just stop giving money to the christofascists.

[Tetrachloride]

5. How about water

[lame54]

6. Not my brand but...

Buying some Bud Light tonight

[speak easy]

11. +1

[Jose Garcia]

8. I had no idea that Modelo was #2

[unc70]

15. Modelo is making a big push in Europe

[ProfessorGAC]

12. It Will Go Back Up

A-B is certainly not in a panic.

[former9thward]

24. They may not be in a panic but they have given their marketing VP a "leave".

As well as bouncing her boss.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bud-light-dylan-mulvaney-transgender-anheuser-busch/

[ProfessorGAC]

28. Unsurprising, Though

It's a PR move to placate the screaming mercies.
But, the financial impact will be minimal & short term.

[sanatanadharma]

13. "Bud Light currently remains the bestselling beer in America"

And that folks, is a giant blemish on American gastronomic values, much as is McDonald's.

[Celerity]

22. When it comes to beer, the best selling in most nations is often meh, but I do grant that Bud Lite

is absolutely horrific, arguably the worst for all of North America, SouthAmerica, Europe, Asia, and Australia/NZ.

I have had many African beers, but not enough to make the call there.

Whilst we here in Sweden have many of the best beers on the planet, crazy high quality microbreweries, our number one selling beer, Pripps Blå (gag) i.e. Pripps Blue, is horrendous, probably the worst best seller in the European Union. Carling in England is just shite, but Tennant's in Scotland is drinkable, vastly better than probably all of the 10 biggest US best selling domestics.

Of course the US also has insanely great beers too. Overall, I hate to admit it, the best overall selection of world class beers on the planet, but that all comes from craft microbreweries.

The overall, across the board, best nation in terms of just really good beer amongst pretty much every one the the top selling 10-15 brands or so is hands down Germany IMHO. Rock solid, near perfect expressions at times of super quality industrial beer.

Krombacher Pils is the number one there, and I would drink that anytime, if I was in one of my rare moods for a pilsner (I am more if a stout/porter big ABV girl, I adore complex, heavy AF, dark monsters).

[LiberalFighter]

18. Tell the men that there is Viagra in it.

[fescuerescue]

19. Budweiser also put several market executives "on involuntary leave"

Dems should boycott Budweiser for not standing behind their brave marketing people.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bud-light-dylan-mulvaney-transgender-anheuser-busch/

[Zeitghost]

20. It's not the job of marketing execs

To be brave. It’s their job to sell beer.

Anyone looking to mega corps for meaningful social justice advocacy is and should be disappointed.