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Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets - Summary of Changes in Carrying Amount of Goodwill by Segment (Parenthetical) (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2015		Oct. 31, 2014
Goodwill [Line Items]
Accumulated goodwill impairment loss	$ 0.5us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss
Rigid Industrial Packaging & Services [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Accumulated goodwill impairment loss	0.5us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember	[1]	0us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember
Flexible Products & Services [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Accumulated goodwill impairment loss	$ 50.3us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember		$ 50.3us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember
[1] At April 30, 2015 and October 31, 2014, the accumulated goodwill impairment loss was $0.5 million and $0.0 million, respectively.

X

- Definition

Amount of loss from the write-down of an asset representing the future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 28

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13854-109267



Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13777-109266



Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (e)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

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