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Post Retirement Benefit Plans - Actuarial Assumptions Used for the Measurement of Benefit Obligations and Pension Costs (Detail) | Oct. 31, 2014 | Oct. 31, 2013 | Oct. 31, 2012
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Pension Plans, Postretirement and Other Employee Benefits [Line Items] |  |  |
Actuarial assumptions used to measure the year-end benefit obligations and the pension costs | 3.69%gef_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationAndNetPeriodicPensionCostsDiscountRate | 4.30%gef_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationAndNetPeriodicPensionCostsDiscountRate | 3.92%gef_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationAndNetPeriodicPensionCostsDiscountRate
USA [Member] |  |  |
Pension Plans, Postretirement and Other Employee Benefits [Line Items] |  |  |
Actuarial assumptions used to measure the year-end benefit obligations and the pension costs | 4.22%gef_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationAndNetPeriodicPensionCostsDiscountRate / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember | 4.75%gef_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationAndNetPeriodicPensionCostsDiscountRate / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember | 4.00%gef_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationAndNetPeriodicPensionCostsDiscountRate / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
Postretirement Health Care and Life Insurance Benefits [Member] |  |  |
Pension Plans, Postretirement and Other Employee Benefits [Line Items] |  |  |
Actuarial assumptions used to measure the year-end benefit obligations and the pension costs | 4.45%gef_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationAndNetPeriodicPensionCostsDiscountRate / us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanTypeAxis = gef_PostretirementHealthCareAndLifeInsuranceBenefitsMember | 4.67%gef_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationAndNetPeriodicPensionCostsDiscountRate / us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanTypeAxis = gef_PostretirementHealthCareAndLifeInsuranceBenefitsMember |
Postretirement Health Care and Life Insurance Benefits [Member] | USA [Member] |  |  |
Pension Plans, Postretirement and Other Employee Benefits [Line Items] |  |  |
Actuarial assumptions used to measure the year-end benefit obligations and the pension costs | 3.70%gef_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationAndNetPeriodicPensionCostsDiscountRate / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember / us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanTypeAxis = gef_PostretirementHealthCareAndLifeInsuranceBenefitsMember | 3.95%gef_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationAndNetPeriodicPensionCostsDiscountRate / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember / us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanTypeAxis = gef_PostretirementHealthCareAndLifeInsuranceBenefitsMember |
South Africa [Member] | Postretirement Health Care and Life Insurance Benefits [Member] | Non-United States [Member] |  |  |
Pension Plans, Postretirement and Other Employee Benefits [Line Items] |  |  |
Actuarial assumptions used to measure the year-end benefit obligations and the pension costs | 8.20%gef_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationAndNetPeriodicPensionCostsDiscountRate / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember / us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanTypeAxis = gef_PostretirementHealthCareAndLifeInsuranceBenefitsMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_ZA | 8.10%gef_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationAndNetPeriodicPensionCostsDiscountRate / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember / us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanTypeAxis = gef_PostretirementHealthCareAndLifeInsuranceBenefitsMember / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = country_ZA |

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- Definition Defined benefit plan assumptions used calculating benefit obligation and net periodic pension costs discount rate. + References No definition available. + Details
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