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Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Oct. 31, 2014 | Oct. 31, 2013 | Oct. 31, 2012 | Jul. 31, 2014 | Oct. 31, 2014
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Income (loss) before income tax expense | $ 158,000,000 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments | $ 243,400,000 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments | $ 183,400,000 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments |  |
Goodwill allocated to divestitures and businesses held for sale | 47,700,000 us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit |  |  |
Goodwill impairment charge | 50,300,000 us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss |  |
Nondeductible Goodwill | 15.60%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationDispositionOfBusiness |  |  |  |
Increase in valuation allowances | 29,500,000 us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmount |  |  |  |
Undistributed foreign earnings | 566,600,000 us-gaap_UndistributedEarningsOfForeignSubsidiaries |  |  |  | 566,600,000 us-gaap_UndistributedEarningsOfForeignSubsidiaries
Unrecognized tax benefits | 28,000,000 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate | 23,000,000 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate | 49,400,000 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate |  | 28,000,000 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate
Percentage of rate impact in valuation allowance | 12.70%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance | 0.50%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance | 1.50%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance |  |
Net operating loss and other carryforwards | 108,500,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwards | 100,800,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwards |  |  | 108,500,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwards
Valuation allowance | 108,500,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance | 79,000,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance |  |  | 108,500,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
Accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits | 4,600,000 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued | 1,400,000 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued |  |  | 4,600,000 us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued
Net decrease in unrecognized tax benefits for the next 12 months, minimum | 0 us-gaap_SignificantChangeInUnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIsReasonablyPossibleEstimatedRangeOfChangeLowerBound |  |  |  | 0 us-gaap_SignificantChangeInUnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIsReasonablyPossibleEstimatedRangeOfChangeLowerBound
Net decrease in unrecognized tax benefits for the next 12 months, maximum | 5,500,000 us-gaap_SignificantChangeInUnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIsReasonablyPossibleEstimatedRangeOfChangeUpperBound |  |  |  | 5,500,000 us-gaap_SignificantChangeInUnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIsReasonablyPossibleEstimatedRangeOfChangeUpperBound
Income taxes paid | 78,700,000 us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaid | 74,000,000 us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaid | 56,900,000 us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaid |  |
Deferred Tax Asset Current [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Increase in valuation allowances | 20,000,000 us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmount / us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceByDeferredTaxAssetAxis = gef_DeferredTaxAssetCurrentMember |  |  |  |
Percentage of rate impact in valuation allowance | 12.70%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance / us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceByDeferredTaxAssetAxis = gef_DeferredTaxAssetCurrentMember |  |  |  |
Deferred Tax Asset Net Operating Losses [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Increase in valuation allowances | 9,500,000 us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmount / us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceByDeferredTaxAssetAxis = gef_DeferredTaxAssetNetOperatingLossesMember |  |  |  |
Percentage of rate impact in valuation allowance | 6.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance / us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceByDeferredTaxAssetAxis = gef_DeferredTaxAssetNetOperatingLossesMember |  |  |  |
Rigid Industrial Packaging & Services [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Goodwill allocated to divestitures and businesses held for sale | 25,500,000 us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember |  |  | 13,600,000 us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember |
Flexible Products & Services [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Goodwill allocated to divestitures and businesses held for sale | 21,800,000 us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember |  |  |  | 21,800,000 us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember
Goodwill impairment charge | 50,300,000 us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember |  |  |  |
Non-U.S. [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Income (loss) before income tax expense | (17,000,000)us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis = us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember | 80,300,000 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis = us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember | 72,800,000 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis = us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember |  |
Net operating loss and other carryforwards | 107,500,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwards / us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis = us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember |  |  |  | 107,500,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwards / us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis = us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember
Valuation allowance | 106,200,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance / us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis = us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember | 76,400,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance / us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis = us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember |  |  | 106,200,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance / us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis = us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember
Domestic Tax Authority [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Net operating loss and other carryforwards | 1,000,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwards / us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis = us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember |  |  |  | 1,000,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwards / us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis = us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember
Valuation allowance | $ 2,300,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance / us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis = us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember | $ 2,600,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance / us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis = us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember |  |  | $ 2,300,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance / us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis = us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember

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