Income taxes - Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment	$ (104,162)	$ (97,806)
Intangibles	(104,171)	(96,057)
Leases	(89,226)	(75,587)
Outside basis in Metal Packaging	(74,092)	0
Gross deferred tax liabilities	(371,651)	(269,450)
Retiree health benefits	1,222	2,935
Foreign loss carryforwards	79,460	76,462
U.S. Federal loss and credit carryforwards	36,529	34,700
Capital loss carryforwards	3,626	4,050
U.S. State loss and credit carryforwards	20,961	21,900
Capitalized research and development costs	45,826	22,875
Employee benefits	42,641	46,503
Leases	89,416	78,518
Accrued liabilities and other assets	56,601	30,835
Gross deferred tax assets	376,282	318,778
Valuation allowance on deferred tax assets	(82,046)	(93,992)
Total deferred taxes, net	$ (77,415)	$ (44,664)

Deferred Tax Assets, Leases

No definition available.

Name:	son_DeferredTaxAssetsLeases
Namespace Prefix:	son_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Deferred Tax Liabilities, Leases

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	son_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesLeases
Namespace Prefix:	son_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(26)(b))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121826272&loc=d3e32537-109319

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(15)(b)(2))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126734703&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(15)(2))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126897435&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(26)(a))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxLiabilities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible capital loss carryforwards.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsCapitalLossCarryforwards
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences and carryforwards.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121826272&loc=d3e32537-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible domestic operating loss carryforwards. Excludes state and local operating loss carryforwards.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsDomestic
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible foreign operating loss carryforwards.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121826272&loc=d3e32621-109319

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121826272&loc=d3e32632-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsForeign
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible state and local operating loss carryforwards.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsStateAndLocal
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible research tax credit carryforwards.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121826272&loc=d3e32632-109319

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121826272&loc=d3e32559-109319

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121826272&loc=d3e32621-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxCreditCarryforwardsResearch
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount, before allocation of valuation allowance, of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences from employee benefits, classified as other.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseCompensationAndBenefitsEmployeeBenefits
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences from postretirement benefits.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseCompensationAndBenefitsPostretirementBenefits
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences from accrued liabilities.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseReservesAndAccrualsAccruedLiabilities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of deferred tax assets for which it is more likely than not that a tax benefit will not be realized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121826272&loc=d3e32537-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount, after deferred tax asset, of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable differences without jurisdictional netting.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 6
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123427490&loc=d3e31931-109318

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121826272&loc=d3e32537-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences from intangible assets other than goodwill.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesGoodwillAndIntangibleAssetsIntangibleAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences classified as other.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences from property, plant, and equipment.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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