Manufacturers have a moral obligation under the principle of due care to protect consumers from foreseeable risks in their products. They must exercise care in designing, producing, and marketing products to minimize risks and ensure products do not harm consumers. This replaces the doctrine of caveat emptor with an expectation that manufacturers take responsibility to ensure product safety through practices like quality control, packaging, labeling, and warnings. However, due care does not specify costs to eliminate risk or who pays for unforeseen injuries.
2. According to the principle of the Due
Care,manufacturers have the moral
obligation to protect consumers against all
risks ,manufacturers can anticipate.
• They have a duty to exercise due care to
prevent others from being injured by the
product, even if they clearly disclaim such
responsibility.
3. Because manufacturers are in a more
advantaged position, they have a duty to
take special care to ensure that the products
they offer do not harm the consumers'
interests.
The doctrine of caveat emptor is here
replaced with a weak version of the doctrine
of caveat vendor. Let the seller take care.
4. They have a duty to exercise due care to
prevent others from being injured by the
product.
5. • In designing product:
– research its risks in conditions of use.
– design it so risks are minimized.
– take capacities of users into account.
• In production:
– use strict quality control to eliminate
defects.
6. – ensure materials and manufacturing do not
add defects or risk
• In marketing:
– provide users with information about using
product safely
– warn of all dangers
– do not market to those unable to avoid risk
7. Quality control – products should be
inspected regularly for quality.
Packaging, labelling and warnings –
products should be safely packaged, should
include clear, easily understood directions
for use, and should include a clear
description of any hazards.
.
8. • Does not limit what producer must spend to
eliminate risk.
• Does not indicate who should pay for
product injuries that cannot be foreseen.
• Puts manufacturer in paternalistic position
of deciding how much risk is best for
consumers.
