Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

submittedVersion

Publication Date

2-2026

Abstract

I study how the 2023 Bud Light boycott affected overall alcohol demand using household-level panel data and a set of difference-in-differences designs. Focusing on households that, before April 2023, regularly purchased Bud Light, I find a large drop in Bud Light volume (34%–37%), partial switching into other beer (＋70 to ＋90 ounces per month), and a net decline in total ethanol purchases of about 3–4 fl-oz per month, or roughly 5.5%–7.5% of pre-boycott intake. I detect no compensatory increase in wine or spirits. Scaled nationally, the quantity response is equivalent to roughly 150 million standard drinks per year; using CDC cost-of-illness estimates updated to 2023 dollars implies social savings of about $430 million. A back-of-the-envelope translation suggests an excise-tax equivalent near 0.34% (range 0.23%–0.63%) despite unchanged statutory prices. Identity-driven boycotts can thus reduce harmful consumption via non-price channels, complementing traditional fiscal tools.

Keywords

Boycott, Bud Light, Brand switching, Alcohol

Discipline

Economics | Marketing

Research Areas

Marketing

Areas of Excellence

Digital transformation

Publication

Economics Letters

Volume

260

First Page

1

Last Page

7

ISSN

0165-1765

Identifier

10.1016/j.econlet.2026.112822

Publisher

Elsevier

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econlet.2026.112822

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