Restructuring and asset impairment - Total Restructuring and Asset Impairment Charges Net (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and restructuring-related asset impairment charges	$ 9,176	$ 67,729	$ 44,819
Other asset impairments	5,034	77,851	15,061
Restructuring/Asset impairment charges	14,210	145,580	59,880
Corporate
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and restructuring-related asset impairment charges	4,422	2,224	2,064
Consumer Packaging \| Operating segments
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and restructuring-related asset impairment charges	3,427	25,548	32,971
Industrial Paper Packaging \| Operating segments
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and restructuring-related asset impairment charges	(1,642)	32,691	5,148
All Other \| Operating segments
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and restructuring-related asset impairment charges	2,969	7,266	4,636
Severance and Termination Benefits
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and restructuring-related asset impairment charges	13,097	36,997	24,864
Asset Impairment/Disposal of Assets
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and restructuring-related asset impairment charges	(9,116)	22,394	9,674
Other Costs
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and restructuring-related asset impairment charges	$ 5,195	$ 8,338	$ 10,281

The charge against earnings resulting from the write down of long lived assets other than goodwill due to the difference between the carrying value and lower fair value.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109226691&loc=d3e2921-110230

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123570139&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherAssetImpairmentCharges
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of expenses associated with exit or disposal activities pursuant to an authorized plan. Excludes expenses related to a discontinued operation or an asset retirement obligation.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 420
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109237686&loc=d3e17752-110868

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 420
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 5.P.3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115931487&loc=d3e140864-122747

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123570139&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 420
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 5.P.4(b)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115931487&loc=d3e140904-122747

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RestructuringCharges
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of restructuring charges, remediation cost, and asset impairment loss.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123367319&loc=SL114868664-224227

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RestructuringSettlementAndImpairmentProvisions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	srt_ConsolidationItemsAxis=us-gaap_CorporateNonSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=son_ConsumerPackagingSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ConsolidationItemsAxis=us-gaap_OperatingSegmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=son_IndustrialPaperPackagingSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=son_AllOtherSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis=son_SeveranceAndTerminationBenefitsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis=son_AssetImpairmentDisposalOfAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis=son_OtherAssetImpairmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: