Bud Light maker Anheuser-Busch to lay off hundreds of corporate staff

Anheuser-Busch announced that it would lay off 350 employees in the U.S., less than 2%.

The company stated that the layoffs won't affect drivers, field salespeople and other employees, such as brewery and warehouse workers, for example.

After conservative boycotts of the company over its partnership with transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney, and after a corporate reaction that some considered inadequate to the backlash, sales of Bud Light fell.

Beverage giant

Anheuser-Busch

The company announced that it would lay off hundreds corporate employees.

Bud Light's flagship beer Bud Light is struggling to sell

.

A spokesperson for the company told CNBC that less than 2% employees in the United States were affected by these job cuts. Anheuser-Busch employs about 18,000 people in the United States. Around 350 people will be laid off.

The company announced it would cut positions in every corporate function. Anheuser-Busch said the changes would "simplify and decrease layers within its organisation."

The company said that the layoffs won't affect drivers, field salespeople and other employees, such as brewery and warehouse workers, for example.

Brendan Whitworth, Anheuser-Busch's CEO, said that while "we never take decisions lightly," we wanted to make sure our organization was set up for long-term future success. These corporate structure changes allow our teams to concentrate on what they do best - brewing great beers for everyone, and earning their place in moments that matter.

Bud Light sales are down following

a conservative boycott

Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender social media celebrity. Mulvaney and other consumers reacted negatively to the company's decision not defend its collaboration with Mulvaney.

Anheuser-Busch InBev shares have dropped more than 2% in the past year compared to the S&P 500, which has gained nearly 20%.

Bud Light's top position in the U.S. Beer market was lost to Bud Light in May.

Constellation Brands

According to Bump Williams, the consulting firm that shared these data, Modelo accounted for 8.7% of all beer sales in the four-week period ending July 1. The data showed that Bud Light held a 7% share of the market in this same period.

Bud Light sales also dropped by 28% in the week ending on June 24, compared with the same time last year.

Anheuser-Busch has also been targeted by terrorists.

a government investigation

Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida. Ron DeSantis. DeSantis.

DeSantis said that the investigation could lead to a suit on behalf of shareholders of's Pension Funds. has stock worth $53 million in AB InBev.

Anheuser-Busch InBev took its responsibility towards shareholders, employees and distributors seriously, a company spokesperson told CNBC last week.

The spokesperson stated, "We are committed to driving sustainable growth in our customers' businesses by optimizing the business and offering consumers products that they can enjoy at any time."

Kevin Breuninger, CNBC's Kevin Breuninger, contributed to this report.