Why You May See Less of Your Favorite Whisky Brand on Facebook

In the midst of multiple spirits industry headwinds, distilleries and alcohol producers could use a win. But Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, just dealt them another loss.

This week, Meta began issuing jarring notifications to spirits industry business owners: Their pages would no longer be recommended by Facebook’s algorithm. Following this abrupt change, first reported by Northwest Wine Report, distilleries, bars, breweries, wineries, and spirits retailers flooded a Reddit Facebook thread seeking clarity and consolation. (Instagram remains unaffected for now.)

The commenters on the Reddit thread shared that the notifications came both via email and through Facebook alerts, similarly stating that affected pages “didn’t follow the rules” or had violated Meta’s Community Standards. But when business owners investigated, their page status displayed “no issues” and “no violations to show”—creating widespread confusion about exactly what they’d done wrong.

While businesses beyond spirits report being affected—gaming, hunting and fishing, and vaping companies all cite similar restrictions—the change threatens to curtail growth potential for spirits brands that depend on the platform's recommendation algorithms to reach new audiences.

For the whisky industry, the timing couldn't be worse. As producers navigate declining sales and post-pandemic challenges, losing free reach on one of the largest social platforms is damaging. Many smaller distilleries have built entire marketing strategies around Facebook’s ability to connect them with enthusiasts without expensive advertising campaigns.

One Reddit user reported that a customer service agent claimed the change stemmed from “new regulations imposed by several governments” requiring the company to restrict promotion of certain products. Northwest Wine Report was unable to obtain a response from Meta as to the veracity of this allegation.

Meta’s policy page states it restricts content promoting “regulated products, such as tobacco or vaping products, adult products and services, or pharmaceutical drugs,” but alcohol has faced added regulation on Facebook for years; this language isn’t new. Nor is Meta’s tendency to make sweeping algorithm changes that leave its users reeling, without recourse, human support, or customer service.

The platform’s automation, believed to be aided by AI, is being sharply rebuked by users on the Reddit thread. Meta’s “AI ‘technology’ is trash,” noted one user, while others hinted that bad AI caused a glitch in the algorithm. Meanwhile, these very businesses are still able to purchase sponsored posts on Meta: “It looks like they’re basically doing this…to force people to buy ads to have visibility,” said another user.

Should this be an AI-fueled mistake, Meta’s errors can take months to resolve. Worst case, it’s intentional, and spirits brands will permanently lose organic reach on Facebook, forcing them to cough up already-limited dollars to maintain their audience—assuming that remains permitted. Smaller craft distilleries without large advertising budgets could find themselves at a severe disadvantage.

The implications for the average whisky consumer are clear: You will see less of your favorite brands communicating with you on Facebook. “If Facebook doesn’t get its act together,” surmised one user, “I’m willing to walk away and concentrate on other social channels.”