US sales of Bud Light have fallen and profits have dropped following a boycott of the beer brand after it made a promotional deal with a transgender influencer.

Corporate results from the world’s largest brewer, Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), showed sales in the US bucked industry trends, primarily due to the decline in Bud Light.

Sales in the country to wholesalers and retailers were down 15% and 14% respectively while pre-tax profit dropped 28%, second quarter 2023 results showed.

Roughly two thirds of the decrease was attributed to declining market share performance. The rest was due to increased investment and support measures for wholesalers.

In May, after the boycott began, Bud Light lost its decades-long title as America’s best selling beer as sales fell between 11 and 26%.

It was overtaken by another of AB InBev’s brands, Modelo Especial. The multinational drinks company also owns major brands such as Becks, Budweiser, Corona and Stella Artois.

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Many conservatives, including presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, stopped buying Bud Light after a transgender influencer, Dylan Mulvaney, posted an ad for the brand on her social media account and shared an image of a personalised can.

She posted an Instagram video in April to promote a competition for the brand.

In the video, she shared an image of a Bud Light can with her face on it, sent by the company to celebrate her 365th day living as a trans woman. Similar cans were sent to influencers across the country.

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Following the backlash she said she felt abandoned by Bud Light.

In a video released late in June, Mulvaney said she experienced “more bullying and transphobia than I could have ever imagined” and was “scared to leave the house” for months.

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Following the release of Mulvaney’s video AB InBev said it remained “committed” to its partnerships with organisations across a “number of communities – including those in the LGBTQ+ community”.

“The privacy and safety of our employees and our partners is always our top priority,” a spokesperson added.

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