Sales of Bud Light continued to fall into August, according to recent industry data. The decline comes as Bud Light continued to lose ground to a top rival, Modelo Especial, among others.
Bud Light suffered another month of declining sales even as summer is generally a positive month for beer producers. The Anheuser-Busch property has faced a sharp consumer backlash since it announced a partnership with transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney in April.
Overall, Bud Light faced an almost 16% decline in dollar-for-dollar sales compared to last year and more than 20% in beer volume. Meanwhile, Modelo increased by about 10% in each.
POUR IT OUT: It doesn't look like Bud Light will be taking back its throne any time soon. https://t.co/PIwBhIGxQp pic.twitter.com/EaW9dtV8ct
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 29, 2023
Currently, Modelo represents more than 8% of all beer sales in the country, outstripping Bud Light’s share. Bud Light had been the most-sold beer in the nation prior to this year.
Modelo Especial has been outselling Bud Light for several months now, but finally caught up to its overall beer sales this month.
Other Anheuser-Busch brands have faced a decline in sales since the Mulvaney partnership was announced. The company’s flagship brand Budweiser has also seen a sales decline of more than 10% through part of August.
Meanwhile, Anheuser-Busch has attempted to navigate the negative consumer reaction through a marketing campaign. So far the advertisements have shown no significant signs of working.
The company recently announced that it would be laying off hundreds of employees following the sales slump.
Meanwhile, Mulvaney recently won an award based on streaming internet content. The former Bud Light partner received the Breakout Creator title at the 2023 Streamy Award and accepted the trophy while wearing a blond wig and dress.
“My life has been changed for the better,” Mulvaney said. The transgender activist also said, “there’s been an extreme amount of transphobia and hate, and I know that my community is feeling it and I know that even our allies are feeling it.”
“You need to support trans people publicly and proudly,” the influencer said.
Mulvaney ended the comments by stating, “I’m gonna go have a beer.”
