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v2.4.1.9

Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 0 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 0 Months Ended |  |  |
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Mar. 28, 2005 Agreement acre | Oct. 31, 2014 | Oct. 31, 2013 | Oct. 31, 2012 | May 31, 2005 | Apr. 30, 2006 acre | Jan. 31, 2006 acre | May 23, 2005 acre
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of purchase and sale agreements | 2 gef_NumberOfAgreement |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Acres of timberland | 56,000 us-gaap_AreaOfLand |  |  |  |  | 5,700 us-gaap_AreaOfLand | 15,300 us-gaap_AreaOfLand | 35,000 us-gaap_AreaOfLand
Approximate value of sale agreement with Plum Creek Timberland | $ 90.0 us-gaap_SignificantAcquisitionsAndDisposalsAcquisitionCostsOrSaleProceeds |  |  |  |  | $ 9.7 us-gaap_SignificantAcquisitionsAndDisposalsAcquisitionCostsOrSaleProceeds | $ 29.3 us-gaap_SignificantAcquisitionsAndDisposalsAcquisitionCostsOrSaleProceeds | $ 51.0 us-gaap_SignificantAcquisitionsAndDisposalsAcquisitionCostsOrSaleProceeds
Pretax gain on sale |  |  |  |  |  | 9.0 us-gaap_SignificantAcquisitionsAndDisposalsGainLossOnSaleOrDisposalPretax | 27.4 us-gaap_SignificantAcquisitionsAndDisposalsGainLossOnSaleOrDisposalPretax | 42.1 us-gaap_SignificantAcquisitionsAndDisposalsGainLossOnSaleOrDisposalPretax
Purchase notes payable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 50.9 gef_PurchaseNotesPayable
Maximum amount of guarantee on purchase notes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 52.3 gef_MaximumAmountOfGuaranteeOnPurchaseNotes
Extended date |  | Nov. 05, 2020 |  |  |  |  |  |
Restricted bank financial instruments under Buyer SPE |  | 50.9 gef_RestrictedBankFinancialInstrumentsOfPurchaserUnderRealEstateSaleAgreement | 50.9 gef_RestrictedBankFinancialInstrumentsOfPurchaserUnderRealEstateSaleAgreement |  |  |  |  |
Interest income of Buyer SPE |  | 2.4 gef_InterestIncomeOfPurchaserUnderRealEstateSaleAgreement | 2.4 gef_InterestIncomeOfPurchaserUnderRealEstateSaleAgreement | 2.4 gef_InterestIncomeOfPurchaserUnderRealEstateSaleAgreement |  |  |  |
Interest expense |  |  |  | 2.2 us-gaap_InterestExpense |  |  |  |
Variable interest entities outstanding advances |  |  | 0.6 gef_VariableInterestEntitiesOutstandingAdvances |  |  |  |  |
Short term loans payable to NSC |  |  | 12.7 us-gaap_NotesPayableRelatedPartiesClassifiedCurrent |  |  |  |  |
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests |  | (46.6)us-gaap_NetIncomeLossAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest | 2.8 us-gaap_NetIncomeLossAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest | 5.5 us-gaap_NetIncomeLossAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest |  |  |  |
Maximum [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Committed capital contribution |  | 150 gef_CommittedCapitalContribution / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MaximumMember |  |  |  |  |  |
STA Timber [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt instrument, principal outstanding |  | 43.3 us-gaap_DebtInstrumentCarryingAmount / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember | 43.3 us-gaap_DebtInstrumentCarryingAmount / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember |  |  |  |  |
Interest expense |  | 2.2 us-gaap_InterestExpense / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember | 2.2 us-gaap_InterestExpense / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember |  |  |  |  |
STA Timber [Member] | Monetization Notes [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Senior Secured Notes |  |  |  |  | 5.20%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = gef_MonetizationNotesMember / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember |  |  |
Maturity date |  |  |  |  | Aug. 05, 2020 |  |  |
Debt instrument, principal outstanding |  |  |  |  | 43.3 us-gaap_DebtInstrumentCarryingAmount / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = gef_MonetizationNotesMember / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember |  |  |
General Textile [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in Variable Interest Entity |  | 49.00%us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityOwnershipPercentage / dei_LegalEntityAxis = gef_TextilesMember |  |  |  |  |  |
Flexible Packaging JV [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests |  | 57.0 us-gaap_NetIncomeLossAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_CorporateJointVentureMember | 9.1 us-gaap_NetIncomeLossAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_CorporateJointVentureMember | 4.4 us-gaap_NetIncomeLossAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_CorporateJointVentureMember |  |  |  |
Cooperage Receivables Finance BV [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in Variable Interest Entity |  | 0.00%us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityOwnershipPercentage / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = gef_CooperageReceivablesFinanceBvMember |  |  |  |  |  |
Buyer SPE [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in Variable Interest Entity |  | 0.00%us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityOwnershipPercentage / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = gef_BuyerSpeMember |  |  |  |  |  |
Trading Co. [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in Variable Interest Entity |  | 51.00%us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityOwnershipPercentage / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = gef_TradingCompanyMember |  |  |  |  |  |
Asset Co. [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ownership percentage in Variable Interest Entity |  | 49.00%us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityOwnershipPercentage / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = gef_AssetCompanyMember |  |  |  |  |  |
Third Party [Member] | Maximum [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Committed capital contribution |  | $ 150 gef_CommittedCapitalContribution / us-gaap_RangeAxis = us-gaap_MaximumMember / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = gef_ThirdPartyMember |  |  |  |  |  |

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- Definition Amount of long-term debt before deduction of unamortized discount or premium. Includes, but is not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, commercial loans, mortgage loans, convertible debt, subordinated debt and other types of debt, with initial maturities beyond one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 20 -Article 5 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 22 -Article 5 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 16 -Article 9 + Details
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- Definition Percentage of the Variable Interest Entity's (VIE) voting interest owned by (or beneficial interest in) the reporting entity (directly or indirectly). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5A -Subparagraph (d) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28200181&loc=SL6759159-111685 + Details
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