Budweiser Brewing Group (BBG), part of AB InBev, has announced that its UK breweries are aiming for net zero operations in 2026, as part of a new global ambition to achieve net zero across its value chain by 2040, that fits within BBG’s new global purpose: “We dream big to create a future with more cheers.”
AB InBev aims to brew the world’s most sustainable beers and the brewer has already made significant progress towards its global 2025 Sustainability Goals.
Its European business is contributing towards the company’s new ambition to have net zero operations in five major breweries in 2028, reducing annual CO2 emissions by 110,740 tonnes, equivalent to the emissions of almost 35,000 cars.
BBG already brews every single can, bottle and keg in the UK with 100 per cent renewable electricity from its own wind turbine and two solar farms, and has also removed plastic rings from its entire portfolio, meeting its goal of brewing with 100 per cent British-grown barley. Additionally, in September, BBG partnered with RUSAL, EN+ Group, CANPACK and ELVAL to launch a pilot to produce five million cans with the lowest carbon footprint for an AB InBev beer can produced in Europe.
However, for the hospitality industry to remain on track to reach net zero by 2050, greenhouse emissions need to be halved by 2030. With 35 per cent of the UK’s greenhouse gases coming from food and drink production and consumption, BBG has partnered with Footprint to launch a report today (14) that identifies the challenges faced by the hospitality sector is facing in reaching net zero. They spoke with industry leaders, academics, consultants, investors and business experts from the likes of Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, Pernod Ricard and Sipsmith.
"We are enormously proud that in 2026 our Magor and Samlesbury breweries will be the first to net zero operations in Europe, bringing us one step closer to achieving our global net zero ambition across our value chain by 2040," said Mauricio Coindreau, BBG Head of Sustainability and Procurement.
Charles Miers, Co-CEO, Footprint said: ‘This collaboration with Budweiser Brewing Group has provided us with invaluable insight into the challenges facing hospitality businesses as they join the race to net zero. The report has identified that we have a long way to go. It is great to see the commitments that companies such as Budweiser Brewing Group are already making, through their global net zero ambitions and carbon-cutting initiatives throughout the UK.’
