A generic drug is identical, or bioequivalent to a brand name drug in dosage form, safety, strength, route of administration, quality, performance characteristics and intended use.  Although generic drugs are chemically identical to their branded counterparts, they are typically sold at substantial discounts from the branded price.
 

Generic brand

Generic brands of consumer products (often supermarket goods) are distinguished by the absence of a brand name.

They may be manufactured by less prominent companies, or manufactured on the same production line as a 'named' brand. Generics brands are usually priced below those products sold by supermarkets under their own brand (frequently referred to as "store brands" or "own brands"). Generally they imitate these more expensive brands, competing on price. Generic brand products are often of equal quality as a branded product, however the quality may change suddenly in either direction with no change in the packaging if the supplier for the product changes.

Jewel Companies is credited with selling the first supermarket Generic Brand product line in 1977- no name or pictures on the packaging - only what the contents are, a UPC code, and the required product information in a white package with an avocado-green stripe. These first generics even cut out such extras such as the flip top on soda cans, requiring a can opener to open them up the old-fashioned way.

Jewel followed this idea up by reusing some former small store locations, converting them to a concept called No Frills in several Chicago area locations. The last such store they opened, called Magna in Rockford, Illinois, tried selling a limited number of store brands and discount name brand merchandise. They closed all these stores after only a couple years at most; Magna opened and closed last.

In the early 1980's, generic products in the United States had plain white labels with blue or black lettering, or yellow labels with black lettering, describing what the product was (i.e.: "Yellow Cake Mix", "Tuna In Water", "Chocolate Flavor Syrup", "Deodorant Soap") with little other information, save for any ingredients and preparation information required, but no brand name at all on the front panel. This was during a sharp economic downturn when many consumers were placing more emphasis on value than on brand loyalty. In the U.S. industrial Midwest, a region especially hard hit by the recession, generics became a common sight in supermarkets and discount stores.

Some supermarket chains had their own "brand" of unbranded items. Examples: Pathmark had a subdued version of their company logo incorporated into the small red and white band at the bottom of the label, with the words "NO FRILLS". A&P had their generic products with white labels with green ink, and their "A&P" logo was replaced with "P&Q" (presumably standing for "Price and Quality").