Groups advocate shopping by cause

If holiday shopping weren't hard enough, growing numbers of advocacy groups are campaigning to steer shoppers away from certain retailers and products, pointing to causes including gay rights and getting the word "Christmas" more prominently displayed this season.

The groups come from the left and right, some urging boycotts of major retail chains, others seeking to influence buyers though company-by-company ratings or critiques of specific products. Some campaigns have little effect; others have prompted swift changes by management, encouraging advocates.

This year's high-profile targets include retailers Sears and Target. In the eyes of some conservative activists, the companies have made insufficient use of the word "Christmas" in ads and store signs.

"When you take away 'Christmas' and replace it with a generic term like 'holiday', you take away the very essence of what is being celebrated," said the Mississippi-based American Family Association, which spearheads the Target boycott.

Target, in response, said this week that it will make specific references to Christmas and other holidays in its marketing. "Our intention is to make every guest feel welcomed and acknowledged, whether they celebrate Christmas or other holidays at this time of year," Target said.

Target also has been criticized for expanding its long-standing no-solicitation policy last year to bar the Salvation Army from setting up kettles at its stores. This year, Target is providing links on its Web site so customers can donate to the Salvation Army.

Sears, like Target, has been criticized for what critics see as sparse use of "Christmas," but the retailer insists the attacks by the California-based Committee to Save Merry Christmas are misplaced. Sears spokesman Chris Brathwaite said the company has a Christmas greeting on its Internet home page and allows use of "Christmas" at Sears and Kmart outlets.

Sears is among the best-rated companies in a different initiative. Human Rights Campaign, a gay-rights group, has just issued its first comprehensive buyers' guide, rating companies on such factors as whether they offer domestic-partner benefits and advertise in gay media. Other companies with perfect scores included Walgreen, Microsoft and booksellers Borders. Relatively low scores went to Radio Shack and Rite-Aid.

"We are asking people to shop with equality in mind," Human Rights Campaign said.

Some companies respond quickly when targeted. Lowe's apologized and took swift action when complaints arose about outdoor banners advertising "holiday trees." Karen Cobb, a Lowe's spokeswomen, said the company called the trees "Christmas trees" inside its stores and erred in using different phrasing outdoors.

C. Britt Beemer, chairman of America's Research Group, a consumer-behavior survey research company, said that employees saying "Merry Christmas," could affect consumer shopping.

"That could be the difference in making a profit," he said. "When Wall Street is looking at every move you make, you've got to worry about the shareholders."

A Massachusetts-based group, Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Children's Environment, has issued a guide for children's gifts. The 'No' list includes toys that lure kids into watching certain TV shows or have violent themes; Lego's Bionicle 3-in-1 Power Gauntlet and Hasbro's G.I. Joe Valor vs. Venom action figures are among those given a thumbs down.

Some boycotts are so wide-ranging that supporters might not remember every target. Life Decisions International, an anti-abortion group, promotes a boycott of 50 companies that it says support Planned Parenthood; this month it added 15 companies to the list, including Nike, Tommy Hilfiger, Circuit City and Price Chopper.

Among the most contentious recent campaigns involves Wal-Mart, assailed by critics for its employment policies. Wake Up Wal-Mart, formed by the United Food and Commercial Workers, says it isn't specifically urging a boycott, but wants shoppers to ponder whether Wal-Mart deserves their support.