The Blubber

Bud Light sales have steadily declined each month by 25% to 30% since Dylan Mulvaney’s campaign touting the brand on April 1, 2023.

In the United States, beer sales are anticipated to reach their lowest point since 1999, primarily attributed to the significant decline of Bud Light following its controversial association with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, according to industry analysts.

Sales have experienced a more than 5% drop in the first nine months of the year, influenced not only by the backlash against Anheuser-Busch-owned Bud Light but also by changing preferences among younger consumers, as reported by Beer Marketer’s Insights. Bud Light's sales have consistently decreased each month by 25% to 30% since Mulvaney's controversial endorsements on April 1, causing it to lose its longstanding position as the top-selling beer in the U.S. Other beer brands, such as Constellation Brands' Modelo and Molson Coors' Coors Light and Miller Lite, have gained some market share, but their growth has not compensated for Anheuser-Busch's overall decline.

Anheuser-Busch's brands, including Budweiser, Michelob Ultra, and Busch, represent 35% of all beer shipments to U.S. wholesalers and have been adversely affected by boycotts. Despite marketing efforts targeting its traditional male audience, Bud Light's retail store sales for the four weeks ending December 9 were down 28% compared to the same period the previous year. Overall, the beer industry faces challenges as millennials and Gen-Zers increasingly opt for alternatives like canned cocktails or reduce their alcohol consumption.