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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 $ 158,000,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments $ 243,400,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments $ 183,400,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments    
Goodwill allocated to divestitures and businesses held for sale 47,700,000us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit 0us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit      
Goodwill impairment charge 50,300,000us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss 0us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss 0us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss    
Nondeductible Goodwill 15.60%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationDispositionOfBusiness        
Increase in valuation allowances 29,500,000us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmount        
Undistributed foreign earnings 566,600,000us-gaap_UndistributedEarningsOfForeignSubsidiaries       566,600,000us-gaap_UndistributedEarningsOfForeignSubsidiaries
Unrecognized tax benefits 28,000,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate 23,000,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate 49,400,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate   28,000,000us-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 108,500,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwards 100,800,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwards     108,500,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwards
Valuation allowance 108,500,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance 79,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance     108,500,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
Accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits 4,600,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued 1,400,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued     4,600,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued
Net decrease in unrecognized tax benefits for the next 12 months, minimum 0us-gaap_SignificantChangeInUnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIsReasonablyPossibleEstimatedRangeOfChangeLowerBound       0us-gaap_SignificantChangeInUnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIsReasonablyPossibleEstimatedRangeOfChangeLowerBound
Net decrease in unrecognized tax benefits for the next 12 months, maximum 5,500,000us-gaap_SignificantChangeInUnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIsReasonablyPossibleEstimatedRangeOfChangeUpperBound       5,500,000us-gaap_SignificantChangeInUnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIsReasonablyPossibleEstimatedRangeOfChangeUpperBound
Income taxes paid 78,700,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaid 74,000,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaid 56,900,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaid    
Deferred Tax Asset Current [Member]          
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]          
Increase in valuation allowances 20,000,000us-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 9,500,000us-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 25,500,000us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember		     13,600,000us-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 21,800,000us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember		       21,800,000us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember
Goodwill impairment charge 50,300,000us-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		 80,300,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember		 72,800,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember		    
Net operating loss and other carryforwards 107,500,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember		       107,500,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember
Valuation allowance 106,200,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember		 76,400,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember		     106,200,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember
Domestic Tax Authority [Member]          
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]          
Net operating loss and other carryforwards 1,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember		       1,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember
Valuation allowance $ 2,300,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember		 $ 2,600,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember		     $ 2,300,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember