The California Walnut Commission has engaged Horizon Consumer Science to assist in identifying and overcoming barriers to purchase of walnuts. This investigation is being conducted in the US and 10 international markets. The initial investigation has been completed and progress towards growing consumption of walnuts will be assessed periodically. Our approach to this task employs a procedure similar to the way we approach assessing brand positioning: barriers to consumption (or use, or purchase) can occur because of perceived weaknesses. But, they can also occur because competitors are perceived as superior. If you only look for the things that are causing consumers resistance to using your brands or products (barriers), you potentially miss more important avenues for growing sales that might exist in understanding how competitors are perceived as being better solutions to consumers' problems.