[fiprofessor]

Should auto-manufacturers be liable for emissions produced by cars that have had their catalytic converters stolen?

Should medicine manufacturers be liable if someone circumvents their tamper-proof seals and laces them with a poison?

Should berry growers be liable if someone inserts needles into foods that are sold at supermarkets?

All of these are crimes that are either widespread or famous from media scares that happened in the past, and thus foreseeable going ahead, but I think liability would still be limited because the resulting harms are caused by a 3rd party criminal act.

[closewith]

> Should auto-manufacturers be liable for emissions produced by cars that have had their catalytic converters stolen?

This is an interesting hypothetical, but I don't see the relevance.

> Should medicine manufacturers be liable if someone circumvents their tamper-proof seals and laces them with a poison?

Yes, and they are.

> Should berry growers be liable if someone inserts needles into foods that are sold at supermarkets?

The retailer should be, and is.

[shukantpal]

>> Should auto-manufacturers be liable for emissions produced by cars that have had their catalytic converters stolen?

> This is an interesting hypothetical, but I don't see the relevance

That's your willing ignorance, and on the 2nd point too.

[closewith]

With respect, I don't see the relevance because the additional emissions caused by removing a catalytic converter are an extremely minor harm to the occupant and others. If, for example, driving a car with a catalytic converter removed caused the vehicle to explode killing the occupants (or any other significant harm), then the manufacturer and retailer would absolutely be held responsible. Physical products are required to fail safely in foreseeable circumstances.

If by my second point, you're referring to circumventing the tamper-proof seal on medications, then maybe you'd like to expand? Manufacturers, retailers, and medical staff are (jointly) responsible for medications for their entire life cycle. A retailer who sells a poisoned medication is absolutely liable, as is the manufacturer who produced a fallible tamper-proof seal (which is worse than no seal at all).

Feel free to elaborate on why you think I'm wilfully ignorant.