Caveat emptor
Also called: Buyer beware · Topic: Consumer Rights and Consumer Protection · NCERT: Class 10, Ch 5 "Consumer Rights"
Meaning
Caveat emptor is Latin for "let the buyer beware". Under this old idea, the buyer alone had to be careful while buying. If the goods were bad, there was no legal system to help. An unhappy buyer could only stop buying that brand or stop going to that shop. The consumer movement, which grew in India from the 1960s, moved this responsibility onto sellers.
Example
Before consumer laws, a buyer who got adulterated edible oil could only switch shops. Today, under the Consumer Protection Act 2019, the same buyer can file a complaint and claim compensation.
Don't confuse with
- Caveat venditor: this means "let the seller beware". The seller is responsible for quality. This is the idea behind modern consumer law.