The UK & Ireland arm of AB InBev – Budweiser Brewing Group (BBG) – has opened a wastewater treatment facility at its Samlesbury brewery.
The site was recently expanded to increase brewing capacity, supported by a £7.8 million investment in 2025. This expansion included the new on-site wastewater treatment facility, which was built by Global Water & Energy.
The idea is to further strengthen BBG’s commitment to protecting one of its most valuable resources: water. It has aligned with Samlesbury’s local water service company, United Utilities, because site designs for the wastewater treatment had to be updated to pre-treat wastewater before discharge through biological processes.
During the on-site water treatment process, organic material is broken down, which then produces a biogas by-product. This is reinjected into the brewery’s energy system and used as renewable heat.
Budweiser, which has long run with the advertising tagline ‘King of the beers’, is already talking about reduced gas consumption at the site of 5-8%, as well as lower CO₂ emissions, which can be included in the business’s scope one reporting.
The new wastewater treatment facility was officially opened by Kate Dearden, minister for employment rights, competition & markets, and Ribble Valley MP, Maya Ellis.
BBG said that, globally, it has improved global water use by 22.7% per hectolitre since 2017, and in high stress areas achieved a water use efficiency of 1.95 hl/hl, which is an improvement of 31.3% since 2017.
Dearden said: “The site plays an important role in supporting the pubs and hospitality sector, and this investment helps strengthen the long-term resilience of an industry that sits at the heart of communities across the UK.”
Ellis said: “AB InBev’s Samlesbury brewery is a major employer in my constituency and has continued to invest in its facilities, demonstrating confidence and long-term commitment in the area.
“I was pleased to welcome the employment rights minister, Kate Dearden, to Ribble Valley to join me in officially opening the wastewater treatment plant, which will dramatically strengthen the business as a sustainable brewer.”
Uli Ombregt, CEO of Global Water & Energy, remarked: “By turning wastewater into renewable energy, this project shows how industrial water treatment can create real environmental and operational value.”
BBG said, in the UK specifically, it has reduced Scopes 1, 2 and 3 emissions per hectolitre by over 44% since 2017, and absolute Scopes 1 and 2 emissions by over 37% since 2017. This progress, it noted, is complemented by brewing with 100% operational renewable electricity in the UK in 2025 – a year in which 100% of the company’s products were in packaging that is returnable or made from majority recycled content.
Samlesbury brewery has been brewing since 1972 and today employs around 500 people.
Yleni De Neve, sustainability director for Europe at AB InBev, commented: “Water is the most important ingredient in our beers, and this new wastewater treatment facility will help us further reduce our environmental impact while supporting the resilience of our operations in the north-west, and the UK more broadly.”
In March, Nestlé Waters & Premium Beverages became the first food and beverage company globally to achieve 100% Alliance for Water Stewardship standard for all of its bottling sites – read about it on Green Retail World
[image credit: Budweiser Brewing Group]
