It's been happening since the turn of the
century, if not a bit earlier.
Which century?
Crap parts have been around forever.
I doubt very much if there were any tantalum capacitors in 1900 :-) Or
for that matter 'dry' aluminium electrolytic capacitors. I remeber the
'wet' electrolytics in pre-WW2 domestic radios, when did they appear? 1920s?
-tony