We’ve mentioned on many occasions that Big Beer sales and production numbers have been sliding the past few years. Domestic light beer may still be the biggest category of beer sales in America, but it’s a segment losing market share to the likes of super-premium domestic, imported beer, cider categories and (of course) craft beer (which posted a 15 percent increase in volume in 2012). Mainstream domestic beer performance has been buoyed somewhat by the continued growth of super-premium labels such as Blue Moon and retro-hip brands including Pabst Blue Ribbon, but the mainstream domestic category’s rate of decline continues, quite significantly according to a new report by Beer Marketer’s Insights. We throw it over to the folks at 24/7 Wall Street:
This overall drop in beer sales is yet another challenge many of the once most popular U.S. brands have to overcome as they continue to lose market share. According to data provided by Beer Marketer’s Insights, American sales of nine major brands, including the once top-selling Budweiser, declined by more than 25 percent over the past five years. Michelob Light’s U.S. sales declined by nearly 70 percent. The following are the nine beers Americans no longer drink.
9. Labatt Blue
8. Budweiser
7. Heineken Premium Light
6. Milwaukee’s Best Light
5. Old Milwaukee
4. Miller Genuine Draft
3. Milwaukee’s Best Premium
2. Budweiser Select
1. Michelob Light
