US beer consumption falls to lowest level in nearly 25 years, with only one Mexican brand standing

In 2023, the US recorded lowest level of beer consumption since 1999, according to an analysis by industry group Beer Marketer’s Insights (BMI).

Some of the reasons attributed to this decline are that consumers have replaced beer with beer. other alcoholic options and the growing number of people who completely give up alcoholic beverages.

David Steinman, vice president and executive editor of BMI, said 2023 “has been a tough year for beer.” For the first time since 1999, beer production will fall below 200 million barrels.

The company suffered the most from the recession Anheuser Buschconglomerate of Belgian origin and leader in beer production, which produces Bud Light.

Bud Light made headlines this year for a sponsorship deal that turned into a scandal, leading to a boycott among some longtime drinkers and plunging sales.

Anheuser-Busch has launched an Instagram campaign featuring transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney holding a personalized can.

The image was rejected by conservative sectors and the media, who slammed the brand and made transphobic comments, while the brewery issued a lukewarm defense that also angered the LGBTQ+ community.

Bud Light sales declined in May. about 25% per week, according to measurements. In addition, sales of other beers associated with the Anheuser-Busch family, such as Michelob Ultra, Natural Light and Busch Light, fell.

Anheuser Busch, owned by global conglomerate AB InBev, was also hit by falling prices. hard seltzers, a category he dominated for a long time.

Lester Jones, vice president of analysis and chief economist for the National Beer Wholesalers Association, said the beer industry is also now competing with a wave of new alcohol products, many of which come from nontraditional producers.

“For example, some of the world’s largest soft drink and energy companies have introduced sugar-sweetened alcoholic beverages that serve the same consumption purposes as traditional malt and hop products,” he told the network. NBK.

The largest U.S. beer makers continue to fight back, thanks to prices that have risen or outpaced overall inflation, Steinman said.

Beer consumers also continued to favor higher-priced beer brands, especially imported ones such as Modelo Especial, which became the number one beer in the US in 2023.

After two decades of strong leadership in the U.S. market, Bud Light has been supplanted by the Modelo Especial, made in Mexico, according to National Quality Initiative (NQI) data provided to consulting firm Bump Williams.

Previous month’s measurements show that Modelo, manufactured by Constellation Brands, accounted for 8.4% of retail sales beer in the US, taking first place in preference, while Bud Light fell to second place with 7.3%.

Beer sales in other parts of the world remain strong, Steinman said.

“As prices rose, dollar sales continued to rise and profits increased,” he concluded.

“The U.S. beer industry experienced a strong recovery in 2023, driven by a growing economy that created more jobs and higher wages for many people, and a saturated alcohol market that saw a rapid influx of new products,” Jones said.