Giant Beer Merger Could Put 5,500 People Out of Work

As AB InBev and SABMiller near a merger that will create the world's largest beer superpower, many worry that such a beverage behemoth will create a stranglehold on the industry and hurt craft brewers. Perhaps even worse, it could also put thousands of people out of work.

According to the Wall Street Journal, documents related to the merger reveal that "around 3% of the total workforce of the combined group could be laid off" in the three years following completion of the mega-merger. An unnamed source says approximately 5,500 jobs could be at stake.

The $105 billion deal is expected to close in October. While both companies have unloaded brands to clear regulatory hurdles leading up to the merger, the resulting conglomerate will still control nearly 30 percent of the global beer market.

• AB InBev Warns of Thousands of Merger-Related Job Losses [WSJ]

• Tracking the Biggest Beer Merger in History [E]