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Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measurements - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2014 Derivative	Oct. 31, 2013 Derivative	Oct. 31, 2014 Derivative	Oct. 31, 2013 Derivative	Oct. 31, 2012
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Approximate reclassification of net loss from accumulated other comprehensive income			$ 0.1us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsLossReclassifiedFromAccumulatedOCIIntoIncomeEffectivePortion
Interest rate swap agreements maturity year			2014
Weighted average of variable interest rate	0.16%us-gaap_DerivativeAverageVariableInterestRate	0.17%us-gaap_DerivativeAverageVariableInterestRate	0.16%us-gaap_DerivativeAverageVariableInterestRate	0.17%us-gaap_DerivativeAverageVariableInterestRate
Weighted average of fixed interest rate	0.75%us-gaap_DerivativeAverageFixedInterestRate	0.75%us-gaap_DerivativeAverageFixedInterestRate	0.75%us-gaap_DerivativeAverageFixedInterestRate	0.75%us-gaap_DerivativeAverageFixedInterestRate
Realized losses on interest rate derivatives related to statement of operations			0.9gef_GainLossOnFairValueInterestRateDerivatives	0.8gef_GainLossOnFairValueInterestRateDerivatives	0.9gef_GainLossOnFairValueInterestRateDerivatives
Other comprehensive losses on interest rate derivatives			0.2us-gaap_UnrealizedGainLossOnInterestRateCashFlowHedgesPretaxAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLoss	0.9us-gaap_UnrealizedGainLossOnInterestRateCashFlowHedgesPretaxAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLoss
Gains (losses) recorded under fair value contracts			6.2us-gaap_GainLossOnForeignCurrencyFairValueHedgeDerivatives		1.6us-gaap_GainLossOnForeignCurrencyFairValueHedgeDerivatives
Energy hedges	0us-gaap_NumberOfPriceRiskDerivativesHeld	0us-gaap_NumberOfPriceRiskDerivativesHeld	0us-gaap_NumberOfPriceRiskDerivativesHeld	0us-gaap_NumberOfPriceRiskDerivativesHeld
Long lived Assets, Carrying value	58.0us-gaap_AssetsNoncurrent	84.2us-gaap_AssetsNoncurrent	58.0us-gaap_AssetsNoncurrent	84.2us-gaap_AssetsNoncurrent	27.4us-gaap_AssetsNoncurrent
Long lived Assets, Fair value	22.5us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosure	52.8us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosure	22.5us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosure	52.8us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosure	14.2us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosure
Long lived assets, impairment charges			35.5us-gaap_TangibleAssetImpairmentCharges	31.4us-gaap_TangibleAssetImpairmentCharges	13.2us-gaap_TangibleAssetImpairmentCharges
Recognized amount of impairment related to assets under contract to be sold			35.5us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse	31.4us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse	13.2us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse
Asset impairment charges	70.2us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges	26.9us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges	85.8us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges	31.4us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges	13.2us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges
Impairment of goodwill			50.3us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss	0us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss	0us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss
Flexible Products & Services [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Recognized amount of impairment related to assets under contract to be sold			24.0us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember	11.0us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember
Asset impairment charges			15.7us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember
Impairment of goodwill			50.3us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember
Flexible Products & Services [Member] | Restructuring Charges [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Recognized amount of impairment related to assets under contract to be sold					7.2us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse / us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis = us-gaap_RestructuringChargesMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember
Rigid Industrial Packaging & Services [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Recognized amount of impairment related to assets under contract to be sold			11.5us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember	18.8us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember
Rigid Industrial Packaging & Services [Member] | Restructuring Charges And Underutilized Equipment [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Recognized amount of impairment related to assets under contract to be sold					3.5us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse / us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis = gef_RestructuringChargesAndUnderutilizedEquipmentMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember
Paper Packaging [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Recognized amount of impairment related to assets under contract to be sold				1.6us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_PaperPackagingMember	2.5us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_PaperPackagingMember
Interest Rate Derivatives [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Notional amount	150.0invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember		150.0invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
Derivative number of instruments held	2us-gaap_DerivativeNumberOfInstrumentsHeld / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember		2us-gaap_DerivativeNumberOfInstrumentsHeld / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
Foreign Currency Forward Contracts [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Notional amount	$ 122.4invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_ForeignExchangeForwardMember	$ 137.6invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_ForeignExchangeForwardMember	$ 122.4invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_ForeignExchangeForwardMember	$ 137.6invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_ForeignExchangeForwardMember

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The effective portion of loss reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income into income on derivative instruments designated and qualifying as hedging instruments.

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