Beer industry expert Bump Williams, who is president and CEO of Bump Williams Consulting, says the end is near for Bud Light.
A weekly report shows Bud Light sales dropped 26.8%, which means the situation continues to worsen. The previous week’s decline was 26.1%.
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Williams says Modelo is overtaking Bud Light as the top-selling beer in the US. “It’s going to happen a LOT sooner than anyone had ever thought,” Williams said. “We have it surpassing Bud Light mid-August.” (Trending: CNN’s Response To Joe Biden’s Corruption Is Jaw-Dropping)
“Sales of the once-popular brew fell nearly 27% in the week ending July 22, marking the third straight week of declines after pressure seemed to be loosening earlier this month,” the report found.
At the same time, Modelo increased by 13%. The Mexican brew has now reached 8.2% market share year to date. Yuengling sales increased 21.3%, Coors Light increased 21.2%, and Miller Lite jumped 17.7%.
Referring to Modelo, Williams said, “(It’s) the closest any brand has come to surpassing Bud Light as the King of Beers.” Bud Light’s market share has been 8.4%.
Bud Light sales have been plummeting in recent months amid a backlash to the company’s partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. The company’s tepid response to the controversy has angered LGBTQ+ advocates and conservative consumers alike.
In May, Bud Light lost its position as the top-selling beer in the United States for the first time in two decades. Sales of the beer fell 23% in the four weeks ending May 28, compared to the same period last year. The decline in Bud Light sales has been particularly pronounced in some conservative states. In Texas, sales of the beer fell 42% in the four weeks ending July 22. In Oklahoma, sales fell 38%.
The backlash against Bud Light has been fueled by a number of factors. In a statement, Bud Light said that it “respects the rights of all people to live their lives authentically.” However, the company has not apologized for its partnership with Mulvaney. (Trending: Fauci Gets The Worst News of His Career)
The decline in Bud Light sales is a major setback for Anheuser-Busch InBev, the company that owns the brand. Bud Light is the company’s flagship brand and accounts for a significant portion of its sales. It remains to be seen whether Bud Light will be able to recover from the backlash. The company has said that it is committed to “listening to our consumers” and “making changes.” However, it remains to be seen whether those changes will be enough to win back consumers.
In the meantime, Bud Light’s competitors are taking advantage of the situation. Modelo Especial, a Mexican beer, has surpassed Bud Light as the top-selling beer in the United States for two consecutive months. Coors Light and Miller Lite have also seen their sales increase in recent months.
The decline in Bud Light sales is a reminder that brands need to be careful about the messages they send. In today’s polarized environment, even a small misstep can have a major impact on sales.
