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Bud Light is reportedly buying back beer that has passed its expiration date as it struggles to regain consumer trust after a polarizing sponsorship deal with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. The beer giant has been accused of going "woke" and alienating conservatives with its partnership with Mulvaney, known for amassing a following on social media as she tracked her gender transition. In early April, Bud Light sent Mulvaney a few beers and a commemorative can featuring her image to celebrate March Madness and her first year of womanhood. In a series of posts on her Instagram account, she promoted the drinks to her more than 2 million followers and used them to promote a contest. The move sparked outrage, with some calling for a boycott of the brand. Bud Light's parent company Anheuser-Busch has since apologized and tried to deflect criticism, but the controversy seems to have permanently tarnished its reputation.

In the more than seven weeks since Bud Light, since some consumers first revolted over Bud Light's connection to Mulvaney, some stores have been forced to sell the beer for free, with Bud Light even resorting to buying back unsold, expired beer from wholesalers, according to The Wall Street Journal. 

Despite a re-branding effort, including hiring former NBC executive Alissa Heinerscheid as new marketing chief, Bud Light still needs to turn around its negative volume trends. In the week ending May 6, in-store sales fell by 23.9% compared to the same period last year, according to market research firm Bump Williams Consulting. The trend is expected to continue into summer when Bud Light sales typically hit a peak.

In May, Modelo Especial won the title of America's most popular beer, beating Bud Light significantly. The Mexican pilsner from Constellation Brands, which bought Bud Light in 2013, increased its retail sales by $333 million for the four weeks ending May 28, according to behavior analytics firm Circana in data cited by CBS News. Bud Light, meanwhile, sold $297 million worth of its flagship product in the same time frame.

The drop in sales is attributed to the ongoing boycott over Bud Light's partnership with Mulvaney. As part of the campaign, Bud Light asked some consumers to share their experiences of being mistreated by police or service providers for being transgender and others to donate money to transgender advocacy groups. The social media backlash led to boycotts and calls for a return to traditional standards on LGBT issues.

Amid the ongoing controversy, some retailers were forced to sell the beer for free, with Bud Light even resorting to buying back unsold beers to get rid of them. In the more than seven weeks since some consumers first revolted over Bud Light's connection to Mulvaney, the company has seen its sales drop significantly and now faces a challenge from a rival beer.

Unless Bud Light sees a dramatic rebound in its sales, it could lose its hold on the No. 1 spot in America by year-end, an expert tells CBS. "If they don't start to see a positive course correction in sales, then it's going to be a long summer for Bud," said Dave Williams, an analyst at Bump Williams Consulting.