Budweiser Brewing Group collaborates with personal safety app #WalkSafe

Cost of living pushes night owls to walk home after nights out, despite nearly 65% of UK publish reporting Concerns for personal safety

Budweiser Brewing Group believes EVERYONE should be able to enjoy a night out and get home safely – and is collaborating with personal safety app #WalkSafe as part of its goal to make every experience with beer a positive one. WalkSafe equips users with info and resources to make informed decisions around personal safety.

 

London, September 2022: New findings from Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I reveal that almost two-thirds (64%) of the UK’s public say personal safety is front of mind when deciding to go on a night out – with as many as 81% of women who visit pubs, clubs and bars reporting that they consider their safety when getting home, and 63% of females say they plan their route home before heading out.

 

With the cost-of-living crisis and surging energy prices, consumers are reassessing the ways they travel to and from nights out, with 1 in 5 (20%) women altering their behaviour by walking more (61%) and taking fewer taxis (49%). Over a third (37%) of women said if they had access to a personal safety app which features a crime map, live location tracking, close contact notifications, and a SOS button, they would feel safer on a night out.

 

The study found that almost two-thirds (63%) of women were likely to plan their route home before heading out, and more likely to visit a night-time venue if it had measures to improve women’s safety. The findings also show that 53% of women were more likely to visit a venue that has anti-harassment and discrimination policies, compared to men (35%).

 

The Collaboration

Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I is collaborating with personal safety app, WalkSafe+ to provide a grant that will fund research & development and improve the app’s user interface to encourage community building and help get people home safe. The collaboration aims to bring awareness to and encourage discussion around the safety issues that disproportionately affect women and other vulnerable groups, as well as the need to address them. There is an urgent need to act, to ensure that people – and women especially – can feel confident about getting home safely at night by leveraging the app to map a safer journey home.

 

The WalkSafe+ app provides the tools to allow users to make informed decisions around personal safety. Senior ex-Metropolitan Police detectives and crime analysts identify crime patterns, so users can pinpoint crime hotspots and plan safer routes home - it encourages people to take precautionary measures to avoid crime, rather than reactionary measures when they find themselves in an unfortunate situation.

Budweiser Brewing Group’s long held belief is that every experience with beer should be a positive one.  Whether in times of difficulty or celebration it is hugely important for people to be able to come together with friends and loved ones and Budweiser has always been an enabler of this. As a key player in the night time economy, Budweiser Brewing Group has a strong platform and route into bars, pubs and clubs which it is leveraging with a number of initiatives to create a more inclusive environment in hospitality venues. With its platform and vision for a more inclusive and enjoyable social environment for everyone the brewer is delighted to announce a collaboration with WalkSafe+, an app to empower people to go out and plan a safer journey home.

 

WalkSafe+ exists to make the world a safer place and is a mapping app that allows its 500,000+ users to plan their route home using the latest tools and information based on police data, whether that’s a live incident or a warning about a lack of streetlights. Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I and WalkSafe+ understand that everybody has the right to feel safe, wherever they are and in any situation. The cost of living crisis is not an excuse to jeopardise Britons’ safety and this collaboration and app will help users make informed decisions about their personal safety.

 

Brian Perkins, President, Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I said: “At Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I we see it as our personal responsibility and purpose to make every experience with beer a positive one. We are therefore proud to be collaborating with WalkSafe+, to promote digital tools which address issues which disproportionately affect women and vulnerable groups.  We are committed to an inclusive environment in hospitality, which brings benefits to communities and businesses alike.   

We recognise the role we play in the night-time economy, and have a responsibility to both our customers and consumers to empower people to enjoy their nights out safely.”

 

Emma Kay, Founder, WalkSafe said: “We are excited to be collaborating with Budweiser Brewing Group, to help support our mission to make the world a safer place, giving our users the opportunity to put their personal safety first. WalkSafe+ is an app that should not have to exist, however, research shows that personal safety is an issue that affects everyone,

WalkSafe+ encourages people to take precautionary measures to avoid crime, rather than reactionary measures when they find themselves in an unfortunate situation. We want everyone to be able to enjoy their night out, but to do so as safely as possible.”