Anheuser-Busch InBev’s major beer brands continue to see major declines in sales as the Bud Light boycott enters its third month, industry sales data shows.
Sales of Bud Light plunged by 28.5% in the week ending July 1 compared to 2022 totals, according to Nielsen IQ dollar sales data provided to the Daily Caller by Bump Williams Consulting. Bud Light sales are down 28.0% in the four week period ending July 1. (RELATED: Anheuser-Busch Accepts Creative Marketing Award Announced Shortly Before Bud Light Boycott Began)
My latest: The Bud Light boycott shows no signs of stopping two months after Dylan Mulvaney’s infamous ad campaign, according to new sales data @DailyCaller https://t.co/qJge9Qm7DF
— James Lynch (@jameslynch32) June 13, 2023
Other Anheuser-Busch brands such as Budweiser saw a 12.1% drop in sales and Stella Artois suffered a 9.5% drop in sales in the week ending July 1, the industry data states. At the same time, sales of rival beer brands Miller Lite and Coors Light went up by 14.3% and 17.8% at the end of June.
Top competitor Modelo Especial had an 11.4% increase in sales over the same time period. Modelo recently surpassed Bud Light as America’s top-selling beer because of the Bud Light boycott.
Modelo’s international rights are owned by Anheuser-Busch but its U.S. rights are owned by consumer goods conglomerate Constellation Brands because of a 2013 antitrust intervention by the Department of Justice.
Sales of Bud Light and other Anheuser-Busch brands have lagged behind last year’s totals since the boycott started and some beer distributors believe it could be permanent. (RELATED: Bud Light’s Parent Company Owns A Bunch Of Your Favorite Beers)
The consumer boycott against Bud Light began in April when the transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney posted advertisements for the brand on social media. Mulvaney, a biological male who identifies as a transgender female, was sent customized beer cans by Bud Light to celebrate one year since the influencer became transgender.
For those keeping score at home, I published a list of the biggest brands conservatives are boycotting right now @DailyCaller
Expect the list to keep growing with all of the LGBT activism happening in June: https://t.co/95EsH97w9U
— James Lynch (@jameslynch32) May 31, 2023
Conservatives reacted to Bud Light’s advertisement campaign with Mulvaney by accusing the company of disrespecting its customer base by supporting transgenderism. Mulvaney previously interviewed President Biden about transgender procedures for minors. (RELATED: In Case You’re Having Trouble Keeping Up, Here Are The Top ‘Woke’ Brands Conservatives Are Punishing Today)
The Bud Light boycott was strengthened by unearthed video footage showing Bud Light marketing executive Alissa Heinerscheid criticizing the brand for being “fratty” and “out of touch” with customers. Heinerscheid and another marketing executive were later fired for the Mulvaney advertisements, as the Daily Caller first reported.
Anheuser-Busch is attempting to win alienated customers back with a summer marketing campaign featuring NFL stars, giveaways for customers, the “Bud Knight” mascot and a music tour. The beer conglomerate’s U.S. CEO Brendan Whitworth told CBS News on June 28th that Anheuser-Busch will continue to support LGBT activists and refused to say whether the Mulvaney advertisements were a mistake.
Anheuser-Busch did not immediately respond to a request for comment.