Belgium drops probe into AB InBev payment delays

BRUSSELS May 11 (Reuters) - Belgium's economy ministry said on Monday it would not continue its investigation into whether Anheuser-Busch InBev (ABI.BR), the world's largest brewer, abused its dominant position in delaying payments to suppliers.

"The informal investigation has been dropped", a spokesman for Economy Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne said on Monday.

The maker of Budweiser, Stella and Beck's beers has shifted its terms of payment to 120 days from receipt of invoice from 30 days previously.

The minister had asked the competition authority in April to look into the matter.

AB InBev said at the time that it was not the only multinational to have reviewed its terms of payment in response to the challenging economic environment and that it was willing to help suppliers adjust to the new system. (Reporting by Antonia van de Velde; Editing by Rupert Winchester)