TheQuartering [7/13/2023]
Savvy shoppers at Costco are convinced Bud Light will soon be off the shelves after they spotted the ‘star of death’ asterisk on the product and a price drop.
Photos and videos shared on social media show the beer’s price tag stamped with a small asterisk at the top right-hand corner – a symbol that many Costco regulars claim is used to signal that a product will no longer be restocked once it is sold out.
One Twitter user posted a photo of the dwindling stack being sold for $14.97 for a 2 x 12 pack, which they exclaimed that Costco was ‘practically giving away Bud Light.’
It’s the latest blow for the brand after the company’s sponsorship deal with trans activist and influencer Dylan Mulvaney, 26, caused a negative impact and has cost the parent-company Anheuser-Busch about $22billion in market cap to date.
It’s not clear which Costco locations across the county may not be restocking the product.
Some social media users pointed out that the retailer might only not restock 16oz cans but continue selling 36 packs of the 12oz cans.
However, the asterisk was also spotted on a price tag for $24.99 cases of 36 pack 12oz cans of Bud Light.
The ‘death star’ symbol is well known in the online community, with many TikTok and Instagram videos revealing the secret.
But one customer and Quora user Dimitri Vulis noted that it doesn’t always mean the item is gone forever and that the products marked with the star could be seasonal offerings that are usually brought back. But then in many situations, Costco is just getting rid of it altogether.
Bud Light has seen a significant percentage drop in revenue from sales for June, compared with the same time last year.