Which case established that general offers can be accepted by anyone who is aware of them?

The case that established that general offers can be accepted by anyone who is aware of them is indeed the one involving Carlill and the Carbolic Smoke Ball Company. In this particular case, the court held that a general offer made to the public can be accepted by anyone fulfilling the conditions outlined in that offer.

The Carbolic Smoke Ball Company advertised that it would pay £100 to anyone who contracted influenza after using its product as directed, indicating their serious intent by depositing money in a bank. Mrs. Carlill performed the conditions stated in the offer and subsequently caught influenza, leading to her claim for the reward. The court ruled in her favor, reinforcing the concept that general offers don’t require a specific person to be nominated for acceptance; rather, they can be accepted by anyone who learns about the offer and acts upon it.

This principle highlights the nature of unilateral contracts, where the offeror makes a promise in exchange for the performance of a specific act by anyone, rather than a promise for a promise. It delineates the boundaries of contractual acceptance clearly against offers that require a specific person or group to accept them, which is illustrated in other cases that do not support the generality of acceptance inherent in this scenario.