Critical Defect refers to a defect that endangers personal safety, causes complete loss of primary function, or violates mandatory regulations, such as electrical leakage, sharp edges on toys, or incorrect pharmaceutical ingredients. In foreign trade, this term commonly appears in contract quality clauses, inspection reports (e.g., AQL sampling standards), and claim disputes. Usage scenarios include customer complaints, third-party inspections (e.g., SGS, BV), returns, or recalls. Notes: 1. Critical Defects are usually distinguished from Major Defects and Minor Defects; the former has zero tolerance or extremely low AQL values (e.g., 0.1), while the latter allows a higher proportion. 2. Contracts should clearly define Critical Defects and their consequences (e.g., full batch rejection, compensation). 3. Different industry standards (e.g., ISO 2859, customer-specific) may vary and should be confirmed in advance. Compared with Major Defects, Critical Defects emphasize safety and compliance rather than appearance or functional flaws.
📝 Examples
1. The inspection report showed that the batch of LED lights had Critical Defects (such as internal wiring short circuits), and the buyer has the right to reject all goods and require the seller to bear rework costs. (Note: Inspection found safety defects, and the buyer exercised the right of rejection.)
2. The contract stipulates: If any Critical Defect is found in toy products (such as small parts easily falling off and causing a choking hazard), the seller must compensate 200% of the order amount and bear recall costs. (Note: The contract clearly specifies punitive compensation clauses for Critical Defects.)
💡 Foreign Trade Tips
Foreign trade terms are the foundation of international business communication
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